Down’s Syndrome Scotland supports new and expectant parents through prenatal screening & testing and continue to support and offer guidance through every age and stage of their child’s life. We have a Family Support Team based regionally across Scotland, who are on hand to offer support and information on all aspects surrounding Down’s syndrome. In addition, the team provide information, support and training to midwifery, health, social care and education professionals to better understand Down’s syndrome and gain insights into current lived experience as well as support the development and positive inclusion of individuals with Down’s syndrome.
When new parents get a diagnosis of Down’s syndrome it is natural for them to experience a range of different emotions and be uncertain about their child’s future. Our Family Support team offer direct support to all families and carers to help them navigate through this time and answer any questions they may have. As well as putting them in touch with our network of parents who can provide invaluable peer support. We have an online community platform that gives parents access to resources and information for them to explore at their own pace and a secure place where they can connect with other families and carers.
We provide free New Baby packs to every maternity unit in Scotland. These packs give parents information about Down’s syndrome and feature stories from other families. We also provide free useful pocket-size information wallets for midwifery staff to keep readily available should they need information about Down’s syndrome to help support a parent through screening or testing. If you would like more information about these or to order more, please get in touch with us.
We offer online training to healthcare professionals to help them support expectant parents through screening and diagnosis. This training features information resources around Down’s syndrome, the appropriate language to use when sharing the news and how parents can access our support, there is also the opportunity to hear directly from a parents’ perspective about their experience. If you would like more information or to organise some training, please get in touch.