Our work for professionals

We share our unique in-depth expertise with professionals in all fields to help them improve the quality and effectiveness of the services they deliver for children with Down syndrome and their families.

Helping professionals in all fields

The Trust provides information, advice and support to professionals from all fields who are involved in the care and education of individuals with Down syndrome.

We work with professional practitioners including: teachers, special educational needs co-ordinators, learning support assistants, general practitioners/family doctors, specialist doctors/consultants, nurses and health visitors, speech and language therapists/pathologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, social workers and social care staff.

Conducting reliable research

All of the information, training and advice we offer to professionals is based on reliable and accurate evidence, drawing on the results of the Trust's world-renowned research, backed by our unique collective experience working with individuals with Down syndrome. Find out more about our research.

Working together to improve services

Through our publications, training workshops and consultancy services we share the results of our innovative research and many years of hands-on experience with thousands of professionals in the UK and around the world every week:

• Information resources: we produce many of the leading information and teaching resources for professionals providing services for individuals Down syndrome. These include books, periodicals, Internet resources, teaching materials, videos and DVDs. For more details, visit the section about. Read more about our publishing.
• Training courses: we provide a comprehensive range of training courses suitable for professionals, focusing on ways to help children with Down syndrome develop and learn. These range from courses providing general overviews of key topics to workshops developing in-depth expertise and practical skills. Read more about our training courses.
• Educational consultancy services: we provide direct support for children with Down syndrome included in Portsmouth mainstream primary and secondary schools. We also provide consultancy to schools and education authorities by visiting pupils, meeting with all key staff involved and with parents, and providing expert advice based on each child's specific needs. For details, see the schools consultancy section.
• Providing specialist resources: the Trust operates a specialist mail order service so education, health and social care professionals have quick and easy access to the Trust's own publications as well as recommended books and teaching resources for children with Down syndrome. For more details visit our online shop at http://shop.downsed.org

By undertaking these activities we aim share our unique in-depth expertise to help improve the quality and effectiveness of the services provided to individuals with Down syndrome and their families.

Feedback

Feedback from professionals around the world is one of the key ways the Trust evaluates the impact of its work. Read feedback from professionals...