Name of Organisation: Antenatal Results and Choices (ARC)
Address: 210 Wandsworth Road, London SW8 2JU
Telephone Number:020 7713 7356
Email Address: info@arc-uk.org
Website: www.arc-uk.org
Registered Charity Number: 1148653
Prevalence of Condition (if applicable): N/A
What support does ARC provide
Antenatal Results and Choices (ARC) is a UK-wide charity offering non-directive information and support to parents throughout antenatal testing and its consequences, including bereavement. We are committed to enabling women and couples to make informed decisions that are appropriate to their individual circumstances.
ARC is here for all those given unexpected or difficult news during antenatal screening and diagnosis. We are here for anxious expectant and bereaved parents and the healthcare professionals who care for them.
Breaking Down Barriers Project overview
Our project is to develop and launch a web-based resource to improve public understanding of prenatal genetic testing currently offered within the NHS and the private sector. It will complement and extend the information provided by the NHS in the four countries of the UK.
ARC has built a reputation for providing sensitive accessible information. We will ensure that the content of the resource will be evidence-based and fact-checked with experts in the field and we will seek feedback from women and couples who have used our services and from organisations such as Genetic Alliance UK, the Down’s syndrome Association and the UK Sickle Cell Society.
The web resource will be designed to be as accessible as possible to its primary target audience, women and partners who are considering pregnancy or who are already pregnant. We will take advice from experts in health literacy to help us ensure that the information we present will be engaging and comprehensible. To achieve this we will use a mix of clear, sensitively-written text, visuals and animations.
We will do our utmost to ensure that the way the information and visuals are presented is culturally sensitive so it is inclusive and appropriate to black and minority ethnic women and families.
It will enable expectant parents to have better informed consultations with their health care team – including genetics as they will have an improved understanding of the test options on offer to them. Increased knowledge of prenatal diagnostic genetic testing options can be extended to other family members as all will have access to this resource. Although the web resource will not be going into detail about specific genetic conditions, the aim is that it will signpost to sources of information. This in turn will encourage people to learn more about screened for conditions before opting for testing. It will also help those who have had or are considering prenatal genetic diagnosis gather relevant information to aid their reproductive decision-making.
