Healthcare professional training
Training that helps you support families of babies with Down syndrome with warmth, accuracy and respect. Including our free monthly Lunch and Learn webinars to our CPD accredited training, which you can complete on demand and count towards your revalidation or appraisal.
The way a family first hears that their baby has Down syndrome can stay with them for the rest of their lives. Too often, that news still comes wrapped in outdated information, negative language, or assumptions about what life with Down syndrome will hold. The words and attitudes a professional brings to those early conversations make a lasting difference, and small changes in practice can shape a family’s whole experience for the better.
Created and delivered by parents – experts in the lived experience of pregnancy and life with a child who has Down syndrome – these sessions give you the chance to learn from our experiences, seek advice, and ask the questions that matter.
We believe every woman or birthing person who receives a high chance result, or a confirmed diagnosis of Down syndrome, has the right to enjoy a pregnancy free from discrimination, and free from prejudicial language or attitudes.
Upcoming training events
Preventing missed diagnoses | 19 October | 12pm
When someone with Down syndrome becomes unwell, new symptoms can be put down to “just Down syndrome” instead of being fully investigated. A change in behaviour, tiredness or slow growth could be a sign of pain, infection or a treatable condition such as coeliac disease or a thyroid problem. People with Down syndrome may also communicate discomfort differently, so these signs aren’t always obvious.
The session looks at why this happens (it’s known as diagnostic overshadowing), the red flags to watch for at every life stage, and a simple five-step approach you can use in everyday practice. It all starts with one rule: before you reassure, assess.
The session will be led by Lucienne Cooper, DSUK’s Healthcare Training Manager. Lucienne is the parent of a teenager with Down syndrome, and she brings that lived experience to her work training healthcare practitioners. She’s also a trustee and founding officer of the National Down Syndrome Policy Group, which is supporting the government to put the Down Syndrome Act 2022 into practice in England.
Lunch and Learn webinars
Our webinars are free, run almost every month, and are open to all healthcare professionals – whether you’re a student or many years into your career. Of the professionals who’ve attended, 98% would recommend them to a colleague.
Sign up to join us live or click through to our YouTube playlist and catch up on past sessions.
Lived experience training (CPD)
If you’d like more than a lunchtime hour, our lived experience training is now available to complete on demand in our healthcare hub. Shaped by the voices of families and informed by our own published research, it gives you an up-to-date understanding of Down syndrome and practical guidance for supporting expectant and new parents with warmth, accuracy and respect.
Since it was accredited in March 2025, more than 350 maternity professionals have completed it. Once you’ve watched the training and completed a short assessment, you’ll receive a certificate worth one CPD hour, accredited by The CPD Certification Service, which you can use as evidence for your revalidation, appraisal or CPD portfolio.