Membership for parents and carers (UK only)

Being a parent is a rewarding experience. It can also be challenging and sometimes stressful. If your baby, child or teenager is also deaf or partially hearing, you will have additional parental challenges to overcome. You’re not alone.

There are over 45,000 deaf and partially hearing children in the UK, and three are born every day. 90% are born to hearing parents with no previous experience of deafness. That’s where we come in.

Your membership gives you access to our online family support resources, award-winning publications, local services and events.

Read on for ten great reasons to join NDCS, or join us online now. 

Members enjoy exclusive access to our Family Support resources on the largest website in the world solely devoted to families with deaf and partially hearing children. It has regularly updated pages on all key topics, including information on hearing aids, parenting tips, financial support and much more.

Our specially trained Information Workers will listen, explore your concerns, and give clear and balanced information to enable you to make informed choices. Call the NDCS Freephone Helpline on 0808 800 8880.

Our team of family officers is based across the UK. Their role is to empower and support families to make informed choices. They can provide information, support and advice to families covering a wide range of topics and issues to do with deafness.

We hope you won’t ever find yourself in a situation where you need expert advice and support on your deaf child’s education and benefits. But, if you do, our education appeals team and benefits appeals team may be able to help.

Across the UK there are over 100 local deaf children’s societies. From coffee mornings to information days to family weekends, they give parents and children the chance to share experiences, and have fun. When you join NDCS we can put you in touch with your nearest local group.

Time and again families tell us how they and their children and young people gain enormous confidence from meeting each other and making new friends. There’s something for everyone:

• NDCS family fun days – thousands attend our popular annual event featuring family activities and information stands.
• We have over a hundred fun-packed children’s events each year – from football to art, nature outings to drama workshops, musical events to children’s fashion.
• Personal development activities to empower young people to get involved, build confidence, work with other people, and use their initiative.

From flashing alarm clocks to television subtitles to webcams, today’s deaf and partially hearing children need not miss out on the experiences other children take for granted. At first the range of equipment can seem confusing to families. Join NDCS and we’ll explain it clearly.

• Our website's technology section gives you clear, unbiased information about the wide range of products available.
• The Technology Test Drive loan service allows families to try out radio aids and other products at home.
• The NDCS Equipment Fund lets families with a low income apply for a free computer and broadband access to support their deaf child’s development and education.

Insight, ideas and inspiration – the NDCS magazine is packed with news, real-life family stories and practical features.

Our magazine is so highly rated by families and professionals alike that it was awarded the prestigious Memcom Charity Magazine of the Year award.

Our regular email Update brings the very latest news and developments straight to your inbox.

Every day, NDCS campaigns for your child. The more people who join us, the stronger our campaign voice!

Some of our campaign victories:

• A National Hearing Screening Programme (NHSP) to ensure every newborn child’s hearing is tested immediately.
• More teletext subtitles on children’s TV, with 100% subtitling on all BBC children’s channels.
• A new entitlement across Great Britain for cochlear implants for parents who chose this option.
• Government action to improve acoustics in new school buildings in England.

But while we’ve made great progress, there’s still much more to do before we achieve our vision of a world without barriers for every deaf child.

By joining NDCS, along with thousands of other families, your membership adds strength in numbers to our campaign work. You will also find out how you can take action to campaign for change.

Membership is free for parents and carers of deaf and partially hearing children and young people.

Join us online today >