Our impact
Our annual impact reports showcase what we’ve achieved and the difference we’ve made to deaf children’s lives. Over the last year, we’ve reached over 31,000 deaf children and young people, either with direct information and support, or by supporting their families.
In 2019/20 we focused on overcoming barriers to:
- language and communication
- local and national services
- independence.
Overcoming barriers to language and communication
- We trained 326 parents and carers on how to use Family Sign Language with very young children. 100% felt more confident about signing after going on one of our courses.
- We received 159 entries to our first ever children’s book competition. The winning story, The Quest for the Cockle Implant, was published in November 2020.
- We loaned 108 radio aids to support deaf children and young people’s communication. After trying out this technology, 50 families were able to secure long term access to radio aids for their child.
"Now our daughter signs to us when she wants something, or to tell us she’s feeling sad."
Overcoming barriers to services
- We had a 93% success rate in appealing against decisions that would negatively impact on deaf children’s education.
- 10,000 people fought for change through our Campaigns Network.
- As a result of our campaigning, 88% of local authorities in England now say they fund radio aids for pre-school deaf children to use at home, compared to 63% last year, and up from 46% the year before.
"We've always found it easy to contact our National Deaf Children's Society allocated support worker, who has a wealth of knowledge and has helped us enormously to achieve what our son is rightfully entitled to."
Overcoming barriers to independence
- Our award-winning film on careers, aimed at deaf young people, was viewed 23,400 times in just three weeks.
- We reached 143 deaf young people through our funded careers workshops. After taking part, 92% said they were more likely to apply for support after they leave school.
- 11,700 people learned more about deafness on our Roadshow bus.
"My daughter didn’t know that deaf people can be voiceover artists, MPs and newsreaders. Imagine how many other people feel the same way."
