Research
Find out more about research projects commissioned or supported by the National Deaf Children's Society on deafness and deaf children and young people.
Priority setting partnership in childhood deafness and hearing loss
We are working with researchers from three universities to discover which questions matters most to the children affected by childhood deafness and hearing loss.
Find out more about this research project
READY study (2023)
READY (Recording Emerging Adulthood in Deaf Youth) is a prospective longitudinal study of deaf young people as they move into adulthood, funded by the National Deaf Children’s Society and led by the Universities of Manchester and Edinburgh.
Deaf children’s educational outcomes (2023)
A report by the Education Policy Institute looks into the educational outcomes of deaf children between 2011 and 2019. It also looks at outcomes achieved by different sub-groups of deaf children, as well as in different local areas.
Find out more about the Deaf children's educational outcomes report here.
Baby Soundscapes (2023)
This UCL Ear Institute project sought to develop our understanding of sound environments of babies and toddlers. The report comments on if and how radio aids might be useful with younger deaf children.
Read the UCL Ear Institute executive summary. The full report will be published later this year.
Wireless streaming technologies (2022)
We commissioned the University of Manchester’s Centre for Audiology and Deafness to carry out this research. The aim was to carry out a technical assessment of a small number of wireless streaming devices. It also explored how easy the devices were to use.
You can also read our summary of the research.
Assistive listening devices at home (2022)
This study by the University of Edinburgh is a small piece of research to establish how assistive listening devices are being used at home, especially in relation to home learning during the coronavirus pandemic, as well as in the wider community.
Find out more about the FM study.
Interventions to support self-determination in deaf young people (2021)
Our literature review summarises research looking at interventions designed to improve self-determination in disabled young people. It also considers whether these interventions may be appropriate for use with deaf young people.
Interventions to support self-determination in deaf young people.
Deaf children from ethnic minority groups (2021)
Our literature review sought to explore what research says about outcomes for deaf children from ethnic minority groups and their experiences in accessing public services.
Deaf children from ethnic minority groups literature review.
Emotional wellbeing in deaf children and young people, and their families: a literature review (2020)
Our literature review summarises studies looking at emotional wellbeing difficulties in deaf children and young people and their parents. It also considers factors that lead to these difficulties as well as strategies that may prevent these difficulties from arising.
Emotional wellbeing literature review.
Temporary hearing loss: a literature review (2020)
Our literature review summarises our understanding of what research says about the impact that temporary hearing loss has on children’s language development. It also considers what good support to families might look like and the challenges they may face in accessing information and advice.
Temporary hearing loss literature review.
You can also read the results of surveys sent to parents and professionals on support for children with temporary hearing loss.
Temporary hearing loss: results from surveys.
Careers advice and support for disabled young people: a literature review (2019)
Our literature review summarises what research says about careers advice and support for disabled young people in education. It also seeks to help to identify research gaps in relation to deaf young people.
Careers advice and support for disabled young people in education.
Telling it like it is: Experiences of families living on a low income with deaf children (2019)
This report, produced by the University of Edinburgh and commissioned by the National Deaf Children’s Society, looks at the views and experiences of families living on a low income and with deaf children. In particular, it explores the information and support families have about language development to meet the needs of their deaf child.
Early years language and communication - a best evidence scoping review (2017)
This paper, produced by Dr Sarah Collinson of the National Deaf Children's Society for the National Sensory Impairment Partnership (NatSIP), provides a synthesis of key findings from a scoping review.
Early years language and development in deaf children – a best evidence scoping review.
The paper is also available to download from the NatSIP website, along with a list of references and a video recording (login required) of a workshop on this subject.
Ear Foundation: Using radio aids with pre-school deaf children (2017)
This research shows that the use of radio aids in the early years can have major benefits for deaf children and their families.
Using radio aids with pre-school deaf children.
DCAL: Research briefing on executive functioning (2017)
The Deafness Cognition and Language Research Centre (DCAL) have produced a short briefing about how deaf children can sometimes struggle with their executive functioning (or their 'mental control') and outline some simple ideas for parents and professionals looking to support deaf children in this area.
DCAL research briefing on executive functioning.
Ear Foundation: Mild/moderate hearing loss (2015)
This research explores the experiences and views of children and young people with mild or moderate hearing loss from the viewpoints of parents and teachers.
Research on experiences of children with mild and moderate deafness.
University of Manchester: Further Education (2015)
This research seeks to identify effective practice in the provision of education and education support services for 16–19 year old deaf young people in further education in England.
University of Edinburgh: Post-school transitions (2013)
This research considers the post-school destinations of deaf young people in Scotland and the barriers they encounter in accessing post-school education, employment and training opportunities.
- University of Edinburgh research on post-school transitions - summary
- University of Edinburgh research on post-school transitions - full report
Ear Foundation: Additional disabilities (2012)
We commissioned a literature review to identify any studies that may have considered the prevalence of other disabilities among deaf children, and to further identify studies considering prevalence of deafness amongst other disabled children.
Ear Foundation additional disabilities literature review.
Association of Noise Consultants: Impact of improved acoustics (2012)
This controlled study looks at the impact that improved listening environments has on deaf pupil’s learning within Sweyne Park school in Essex and identifies a number of other positive benefits for all pupils and teachers.
- Association of Noise Consultants: Essex Study - optimised classroom acoustics for all
- Making Sweyne Park School Sound Good – National Deaf Children’s Society summary of research
University of Manchester: Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder (ANSD) in Infants (2011)
This research project concerns parents of children who were screened through the national newborn hearing screening programme in England and who subsequently were told that their child had an ANSD.
Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder in Infants.
University of Manchester: Service delivery to deaf children with complex disabilities (2010)
This study looks at what parents of deaf children with complex needs want and need from services and the barriers and drivers families experience in achieving optimum service delivery.
Complex needs and complex challenges report.
University of Oxford: Family-School Partnership to Promote Deaf Children’s Literacy (2009)
The purpose of this research is to promote deaf children’s literacy through, for example, developing new evidence-based resources and educational games for use by deaf children, their teachers and families. The University of Oxford website has more information about the research.
The research has been used to develop two new evidence-based interventions for education professionals:
University of Manchester: Social care services for deaf children and families (2009)
This research seeks to assess the impact of integrated service provision into the scope, quality and delivery of social care services for deaf children and their families.
- University of Manchester social care services research - executive summary
- University of Manchester social care services research – phase 1 report
- University of Manchester social care services research – phase 2 report
- University of Manchester social care services – PowerPoint summary
University of Edinburgh: Impact of ASL Act for Deaf Pupils in Scotland (2009)
This research seeks to assess the impact that the Additional Support for Learning (Scotland) Act 2004 has had on educational provision for deaf children.
- University of Edinburgh Impact of ASL Act research – briefing
- University of Edinburgh Impact of ASL Act research - executive summary
- University of Edinburgh Impact of ASL Act research – full report
University of Manchester: Resilience and deaf children: a literature review (2008)
This article critically reviews mainstream (non-deaf-related) resilience literature to analyse its relevance for deaf children and intersection with the concerns of the deafness field.
University of Manchester resilience literature review.
Ear Foundation: Cochlear implants - young people's views (2007)
This study explores the views of a group of young deaf people on their cochlear implants.
National Deaf Children’s Society summary of Ear Foundation research into young people's views on cochlear implants.