TANNE – Swiss Foundation for Congenital Deafblindness

Tanne, Swiss Foundation for Congenital Deafblindness, is the competence center for infants, children, adolescents and adults with congenital deafblindness and related forms of multi-sensory impairment.

Tanne is unique and internationally known for this. It provides the only specialized educational program in Switzerland for children born deafblind.

We offer outpatient early education and flexible care for small children, including an inclusive day care center, internal or inclusive special education and, if required, a boarding school for children and adolescents, residential facilities and a day care center for adults as well as the necessary therapies. With our counseling and support, we reach those affected, their parents, relatives and specialists throughout German-speaking Switzerland and beyond.

The focus of our work is to promote perception and communication. Contact with the world and with one another, exchange and dialogue create the indispensable basis for learning, development and age-appropriate participation in life.

In more than 50 years of existence Tanne has developed a specific competence and own approaches for individually tailored education, care, counseling and therapy, which we are constantly developing further. To this end, we cultivate professional exchange with other specialized centers as well as with research on deafblindness and related multi-sensory impairments.

Tanne is recognized by the cantons and, as a Swiss foundation, counts on the support of numerous patrons, donors and sponsors.

We are an active member of the world association for deafblindness, Deafblind International DbI. Currently we are responsible for the tasks of the vice-presidency and belong to the worldwide network of ambassadors of DbI.