Fostering or adopting a deaf child
"It’s brilliant to see Jack open up, become more confident, use BSL effectively and give his all to new experiences."
Joanne is foster parent to Jack.
Fostering and adoption can be two of the most rewarding ways of making a difference to a child’s life. If you're considering fostering or adopting a deaf child, it's worth learning a bit about deafness as soon as possible. We have lots of information on our website to help.
- Being deaf-friendly – this section includes top tips and deaf awareness advice which you can share with wider family and professionals working with your child.
- Communication – this section includes information about the different ways deaf children communicate, including fingerspelling videos and information about sign language.
- Childhood deafness – this section includes information about the types and levels of deafness, audiology services and hearing technology like hearing aids and cochlear implants.
- Technology – our technology pages include information about different types of assistive technology which might be useful at home or at school.
- Emotional health and wellbeing – this section includes guidance to help you navigate some of the specific emotional challenges deaf children and young people might face.
As a foster carer or adoptive parent, all of our family events are open to you. These events can help you to build your knowledge on childhood deafness, make informed choices for the child in your care and connect with other families of deaf children for friendship and support.
Another great way to connect with local families of deaf children and build a good support network is through our local groups.
Our online forum, Your Community, provides a safe space where you can share experiences, ask questions and get advice from other parents.
If you’d like to discuss specific issues around fostering and deaf children, please contact the Helpline.