Family Support Network

Family Supporters are mostly experienced parents or carers of deaf children who volunteer to visit and/or talk to other families about their experiences and support them in various ways.

• Information and support to other families at important or difficult times in their lives; for example, after initial diagnosis, during a cochlear implant assessment, when looking at different schools and provisions and so on.
• Someone to listen and share your experiences with – emotional support.
• Help to explore concerns and questions parents of newly identified deaf children may have.
• Knowledge about local services.
• Putting in touch with other families or parent groups.
• Interpreting and communication support at meetings and appointments, in case of bilingual family supporters. These family supporters sometimes also support with translation of leaflets and hospital letters.
• Help and assistance with NDCS events

Any experienced parent or carer can apply to become a family supporter. At the moment, we are only recruiting in London and Glasgow areas.

In addition to having a personal wealth of information and experience, all Family Supporters receive training in issues around various NDCS services, how to support families sensitively, how to provide clear and balanced information, listening skills and cultural awareness. All applicants also go through a careful vetting process, with CRB checks and references.

NDCS has a wonderful team of 15 volunteer Family Supporters in London, all of whom are parents and carers of deaf children with different ages, going to diverse education settings and using various communication methods.

These Family Supporters are from different areas across and around London: Hillingdon, Bromley, Newham, Waltham Forest, Bexley, Sutton, Wandsworth, Ealing and Tower Hamlets. However, they will not only support families in their own areas but will also work across boroughs with families going through similar situations elsewhere. 

Our Family Supporters are from different ethnic backgrounds and many speak more than one language, for example French, German, Spanish, Urdu, Punjabi, Tamil, Arabic, Bengali, Polish and so on, which will be very useful in supporting families for whom English is not the first language.

To find out more or contact a family supporter, please contact:

Zobia Kalim
The National Deaf Children's Society
85 Woodward Close, Winnersh, Wokingham, Berks
RG41 5UU
Phone/Fax: 0118 978 5350
Minicom: 0118 978 5390
Mobile: 07966-341-036
Email: zobia@ndcs.org.uk

Alternatively, contact our Freephone Helpline on 0808 800 8880 or email helpline@ndcs.org.uk

Find out more about support in London

The Glasgow BME (Black and Minority Ethnic) project currently has 8 volunteer family supporters, 7 of whom are parents of deaf children. Most of the volunteers are based in Glasgow or in the suburbs near Glasgow. However some of them are willing to travel within Scotland.

All family supports in Glasgow are bilingual and between them can speak Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi, Polish, French, Farsi, Arabic and Dutch.

If you wish to volunteer or would like to get in touch with a Family Supporter, please contact:

Varshali Swadi
The National Deaf Children’s Society
187-189 Central Chambers, 93 Hope Street, Glasgow G2 6LD.
Phone: 0141 248 4602
Fax: 0141 248 2597
Mobile: 07966 341021
Email: varshali.swadi@ndcs.org.uk

Alternatively, contact our Freephone Helpline on 0808 800 8880 or email helpline@ndcs.org.uk

Find out more about support in Scotland