Early years

Deaf children are now being diagnosed within days of birth, thanks to the New Born Hearing Screening programme. NDCS campaigned for this to be introduced on the NHS, but we now need to see real support in place for the parents and families of deaf babies. 

We are campaigning to ensure that the parents of every deaf child identified by new born hearing screening are supported by receiving information as early as possible. They need this information, presented impartially, in order to make genuinely informed choices on behalf of their deaf child.

A diagnosis of deafness for many is the start of a race against time, with early intervention offering the best chance for a child to develop language and communication skills.

But in order to decide on the best intervention for their child parents need to have all of the options presented to them. And they need local services to be able to provide the most effective intervention for their individual child. This is not the case at the moment and available services depend on where the family lives.

NDCS is campaigning for national minimum standards of service to be offered to all deaf children from every family regardless of where they live.