Understanding your rights as a deaf young person
Everyone deserves to feel safe, healthy and supported – no matter who you are or how you communicate. In the UK, you have legal rights to receive the care, opportunities and respect you deserve.
How your rights and wellbeing are connected
You have the right to be treated fairly and with respect. Knowing your rights – and making sure they are protected – can be directly connected to your wellbeing. Here’s how:
- Understanding your rights can help you feel more in control, which can build your confidence and sense of independence – all while boosting your self-esteem, too.
- When you know your rights, you’re less likely to feel helpless. Knowing that you have a legal right when advocating for yourself can reduce stress and anxiety.
- Enforcing your rights can help you access the support, reasonable adjustments and services you’re entitled to.
- When the adults in your life (sometimes referred to as ‘duty-bearers’ under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) understand and respect your rights, those adults can help build more positive, supportive relationships.
Your language, your right: BSL matters
Together with civil servants, we proactively advocated for deaf children who use British Sign Language (BSL) to have their BSL skills recognised instead of being assessed on communicating using spoken English. This change, which happened in December 2024, means their language and communication skills are valued from the very start – just as they should be!
Your rights in different settings
Deaf young people in the UK have rights to receive support and be protected from discrimination.
Laws like the Equality Act 2010 help make schools, workplaces and services more accessible in England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland has different laws to ensure deaf young people get the right support, while Scotland uses the 'Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC)' system.
You can read more about those laws – and another global agreement that protects children's rights – below, but we thought it'd be helpful to start with how your rights work in different settings.
Your rights in healthcare settings
There are rules to make sure your rights are respected in healthcare. Healthcare practitioners should:
- Check that you understand. It’s important that you get information about your healthcare in a way that works for you. Remember that you can ask questions anytime during the appointment.
- Include you in decision-making. While you aren’t able to make all of the decisions about your healthcare as a minor, you should be given opportunities to be involved in making decisions whenever possible.
- Support your transition to adult services. You usually move from child to adult audiology between the ages of 16 and 21, but your healthcare professionals should help you understand what this means and what you need to do.
- Make sure support is accessible. If you are struggling with your mental health, you have the right to see someone who understands the needs of deaf young people, such as National Deaf CAMHS.
Every young person has rights when using NHS services...
But not everyone knows what they are. Through interactive tools, real stories and research reports, the Get Your Rights project explains what the NHS Constitution means for you. Whether you need support, want to advocate for yourself or just want to know where to start, this resource is designed to empower you.
Looking for the research used to develop the Get Your Rights website? You can read the reports on the Council for Disabled Children's website.
Your rights in education
Regardless of where you’re educated – mainstream schools, specialist schools or homeschool – you have a right to both a good education and to be supported with your wellbeing.
This includes having a supportive environment where you feel safe and able to talk about your feelings. Teachers and other staff must take into account your needs and any conditions.
Key rights in education include:
- Access to adjustments
Often referred to as 'reasonable adjustments', your school must make sure you have everything you need to succeed, including communication support, changes to your classroom (or other school areas), exam support and wellbeing resources. - Right to be safe
School should be a safe space for you to learn, share and grow. If you’re ever feeling unsafe or excluded, you have a right to get help. - Support for your mental wellbeing
Your school should have resources to help you talk about how you’re feeling and get advice when needed.
Your rights in the workplace
Understanding your rights in the workplace can help you access the support you need and help you plan for your future career.
Examples of agreements and laws designed to protect your rights
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and other laws in Northern Ireland
Disability discrimination laws in Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland, there are laws that protect your rights as a child or young person with permanent deafness. They ensure that you can access services, education and opportunities just like everyone else.
There are three main laws that all work together to make sure that your needs are recognised and supported in various areas of life. They include:
- Disability Discrimination Act 1995 This law makes it illegal for public services, employers and others to discriminate against people with disabilities.
- Special Educational Needs and Disability (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 This law focuses on education and ensures that you have the right to receive support in school (including reasonable adjustments) to meet your specific needs.
- Disability Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 This law strengthens the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 by expanding the rights of people with disabilities.
The Equality Act 2010: an anti-discrimination law in England, Scotland and Wales
The Equality Act 2010 is an anti-discrimination law in England, Scotland and Wales. It helps protect people from being treated unfairly because of things like a disability, their race or their religion. This law protects deaf people and people with temporary deafness (if it’s lasted for 12 months or more or if it’s likely to happen again in the next 12 months).
The Equality Act means you have the right to:
- Fair treatment You cannot be treated unfairly or left out because of anything related to your deafness, such as communication needs.
- Reasonable adjustments Schools, workplaces and public services (like doctors or councils) must make adjustments to ensure you can fully access what’s available. This includes providing sign language interpreters, captions or other support.
- Mental health support If you are feeling down, anxious or experiencing mental health challenges, services should make sure you can access help in a way that works for you.
This law helps protect your right to get the support you need to stay well and feel safe. Just for Kids Law has more information about the Equality Act 2010.
Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC): Scotland's approach to supporting children and young people
Watch this signed and captioned 'What is GIRFEC?' video, which was produced by The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland.
In Scotland, every child and young person has the right to the best possible support to grow, learn and be happy. This is where 'Getting it right for every child' (GIRFEC) comes in. GIRFEC is Scotland's national approach to supporting children and young people’s rights and wellbeing by providing the right help at the right time.
GIRFEC focuses on 8 key areas that are important for your emotional, mental and physical wellbeing:
- safe
- healthy
- achieving
- nurtured
- active
- respected
- responsible
- included
These areas help everyone around you focus on what’s best for you, ensuring that your voice is heard, your rights are respected and your needs are met.
In Scotland, GIRFEC means you have the right to:
- A named person You should have access to a consistent person to contact whenever you want information, advice or help. Members of your family (such as a parent or carer) should be able to contact your named person too.
- A lead professional Sometimes called a relevant practitioner, this person is responsible for making sure you get all the support specified in your plan. Your lead professional will likely be your Teacher of the Deaf (if you have one).
- A child’s plan This personalised plan should be produced in collaboration with you, your family, a lead professional and others involved in supporting you.
Need support?
GIRFEC can be really helpful for lots of young people. But if you think you aren’t getting enough help or the right kind of support, there are things you can do.
Start by sharing your concern with the service or person. You could also contact Reach, a rights organisation, or even reach out to the Scottish Government.
Remember: You have a legal right to be supported in a way that works for you.
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC): an international agreement that protects children aged 18 and under
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is an international agreement signed by nearly every country in the world, including the UK, to protect the rights of children and young people aged 18 and under.
The Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland explains 42 of the 54 topics (or 'articles'), and they cover everything from education to your health and wellbeing.
Some key rights you have under the UNCRC include:
- Right to be heard You have the right to express your views, to be listened to and to be taken seriously, especially when it comes to decisions that affect you.
- Right to protection You have the right to be protected from any kind of harm, whether it’s physical, emotional or mental.
- Right to access support You should have access to services and support to help you live a healthy life, both physically and mentally.
Under the UNCRC, your mental and emotional health is just as important as your physical health. If you feel sad, anxious or upset, it’s your right to receive support.
When your right to be heard and protected is respected, you can engage with others more confidently, feel safer in your environment and have the support you need for your emotional health.
Ask your teacher, activity leader or parent if they've seen UNICEF's free resources, including an 'Our Rights' poster and their OutRight 2024/2025 learning journey. These resources are made to help you – and others around you – learn more about your rights and how to make change happen.
Getting help with your rights
There are lots of people who care about you and your rights and want to help you stay healthy and strong. Your emotional and mental wellbeing matters, and you have the right to support, guidance and respect. If you ever need help or feel like your rights are not being respected, don’t hesitate to reach out to our Helpline — they’re helpful, informed experts who are ready to listen and support you.
Full references for this webpage are available by emailing
informationteam@ndcs.org.uk