Emotional health and well-being

Evidence suggests that deaf children are more likely to experience mental health problems. Even though deafness itself does not cause mental health problems, the communication barriers that deafness imposes may. 

That is why the provision of mental health services to deaf children is crucial, with a focus on preventative services, to ensure that deaf children have the same emotional well-being as their hearing peers.

Background
In December 2007, the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department of Health asked Jo Davidson to conduct an independent review into child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS).

November 2008
The final report from the review has been published, setting out 20 recommendations for Government action to improve CAMHS. Disappointingly, there is little mention of deafness in the review.  

NDCS will be following this important issue up with the newly created National Advisory Council on Children’s Mental Health and Psychological Wellbeing.  

• National CAMHS review - final report

July 2008
At the end of July, the CAMHS review team published an interim report, setting out its initial findings.

• National CAMHS review - interim report

July 2008
NDCS submitted a response to a call for evidence in July 2008, which you can read here: 

• NDCS response to CAMHS call for evidence

There are currently three specialist child and adolescent mental health centres for deaf children and young people in England in Dudley, York and London. Following a report by the University of York, it is proposed that there will be a fourth centre in the South West of England and that these four centres will engage in outreach to ensure greater provision for all deaf children across England.

NDCS welcomes these developments and will be monitoring progress carefully.

Healthy Minds is a resource, developed by NDCS, which aims to explore good emotional health and wellbeing with young deaf people. It does this in a way that uses their personal experience and humour, communicating in ways that allows them to feel safe, and developing a can-do attitude.

NDCS will be providing training for those who would like to maximize their understanding of good emotional wellbeing for deaf children through using this resource. Contact caroline.doherty@ndcs.org.uk if you would like a pack or more information about the training.

• NDCS has produced a report on Developing mental health services for deaf children and young people in Northern Ireland.

• NDCS wrote an article for Counselling Children and Young People magazine in November 2008, setting out wider issues relating to the mental health of deaf children. 
  
  Article for Counselling Children and Young People magazine (96 kb)
  

• NDCS's policy on mental health.

Please contact us at campaigns@ndcs.org.uk if you have any comments or if you would like to share your response or experiences with us.

We will use your stories in our campaign work to ensure that deaf children get the support they need.

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