Who are we?

Supporting children and young people with Down’s syndrome, their families and those that work with them. Everyone has the right to reach their potential, and we are here to help.

21 Together is a registered charity in Kent set up in 2016 by four parents each with a child with Down’s syndrome. It is now a vibrant and thriving community charity with families at the heart of everything we do.

Our values are: Be Courageous, Empower, Collaborate, Inclusion and Passion.

21 Together has five main aims:

Enable people with Down’s syndrome to be fully included in society by giving them access to the early intervention and skills needed to achieve the best possible outcomes in their lives.
Educate families and professionals to enable them to provide the best possible support for people with Down’s syndrome.
Support families through peer networks, parent support groups and online forums.
Advocate and build awareness of the achievements of people with Down’s syndrome. Recognising the positive impact of our community on the wider world is key in promoting true inclusion and cohesion.
Promote raised expectations of what is possible within our community and the wider community.

What is Down’s Syndrome?

Down's syndrome, also known as Down syndrome or Trisomy 21, is a condition you're born with. Most people who have Down's syndrome lead healthy and fulfilled lives. Everyone born with Down's syndrome will have some level of learning disability, but this will be different for each person. Down's syndrome is caused by an extra chromosome in a baby's cells. In most cases, this is not inherited – it's simply the result of a one-off genetic change in the sperm or egg. There's a small chance of having a child with Down's syndrome with any pregnancy, but the likelihood increases with the age of the mother. For example, a woman who's 20 has about a 1 in 1,500 chance of having a baby with Down's syndrome, while a woman who's 40 has a 1 in 100 chance. This does not mean all parents of babies with Down’s syndrome are older. There are actually more babies born to young parents than older parents, this is down to more babies in general being born to younger parents. There's no evidence that anything done before or during pregnancy increases or decreases the chance of having a child with Down's syndrome.