Campaign wins
With support from our amazing campaigners, we make sure nothing holds deaf children back. Here are some of our major successes.
British Sign Language GCSE
We launched our Right to Sign campaign to influence the Government to introduce a GCSE in British Sign Language (BSL) in England.
We believe it’s only fair and right that BSL users should have the opportunity to achieve a GCSE in their own legally recognised language.
After years of campaigning alongside passionate deaf young people, the subject content for the GCSE was announced in December 2023. We’re now waiting for confirmation on when the GCSE will launch.
See our Right to Sign campaign timeline.
British Sign Language on BBC Newsround
In 2020, 70 deaf young people told us they wanted accessible news. We supported them to get in touch with BBC Newsround to explain why this was so important to them.
It took 2 years of working together, but on 31 March 2022 – BBC Newsround's 50th anniversary – they announced a major breakthrough.
From April 2022 onwards, Newsround's daily bulletins have been available in BSL.
Clear face masks for the NHS
We asked for clear face masks to be made available for use in NHS and social care settings during the pandemic. This was to make sure deaf people were able to lip-read and understand important information about their health while face masks were being worn.
In April 2022, the NHS introduced 3 types of clear face masks, after we campaigned on the issue alongside deaf young people, deaf professionals and other organisations.
Newborn hearing screening
In 2006, after many years of campaigning, newborn hearing screening was introduced across the UK.
This means that all children now have a hearing test in their first few weeks of life. As a result, more children are now identified as deaf from birth and get the support they need right from the start.