Our journey
The birth of Premiers pas
Chatting mothers exchanging stories about how they discovered their unborn or newborn child lives with Down syndrome brought about huge realization that things can be done better.
In early 2019, mums from French-speaking Switzerland decided to pool their resources, ideas and time to create a suitcase and ‘premiers-pas’ was born.
How it works
Every year in Switzerland, 60 to 80 babies are born with Down syndrome. For many families, this diagnosis can feel overwhelming and confusing.
How families find us
Premiers Pas learns about these births through hospitals, midwives, associations like ART21, insieme21, avventuno, insieme, hope21, word of mouth, and online sources.
We work hard to make sure every family knows about us by sharing flyers and information in four languages as part of our nationwide initiative.
Personal support for families
Each canton has two ambassadors who personally reach out to families. They communicate, answers questions and arrange a visit, and deliver the welcome suitcase to those who wish to receive it.
They also invite families to join Premiers Pas and regional Down syndrome groups, helping them connect with a strong support network.
The full circle
Embracing inclusion with Premiers pas
We believe in truly walking the talk when it comes to inclusion. That’s why we’re thrilled to have a growing number of ambassadors with Down syndrome who personally help deliver our Premiers pas suitcase to new babies and their families.
Their involvement is a powerful way to showcase their abilities, spread joy, and reinforce our commitment to true inclusion— inspiring and connecting with new parents on this journey.
Parents’ needs
Any birth represents a big change in a family, the announcement of Down syndrome is often reported as being emotionally heavy. Shortcomings by the medical profession in the conditions and content of the announcement and recommendations are common.
Difficulties may arise in the support of the child, in regards to the family and friends, financial support, and more. The need for information is important and although there are many resources, it is sometimes complicated to find reliable informations. Exchanges and support with other parents are often requested and appreciated by families. We’ve been there and know how it feels!