Helpline
Not sure what support and services you need? Our helpline is here to help you if you’re a parent of a deaf child or a deaf young person. Our free, independent advice will help you feel more confident and informed about deaf-related issues.
Helpline opening hours
- 9am-5pm, Monday-Friday
- The Helpline is closed on all Bank Holidays observed in England.
Contacting the Helpline
- Freephone: 0808 800 8880
Free from all UK landlines and major UK mobile providers. Interpreters are available if you have limited English.
- Email: helpline@ndcs.org.uk
We aim to respond within 10 working days. If your question is urgent you should try to contact us in one of the other ways.
- Interpreter Now BSL video interpreting
Don’t call while you are driving, including hands free. This is in accordance with guidance from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.
We provide independent information and guidance on a range of topics across the UK related to childhood deafness, including:
- Diagnosis and how to work with health professionals
- Education, including early years, special educational needs (SEN), further and higher education
- Welfare benefits and other financial support
- Communication options and support
- Technology and equipment to support deafness
- Disability discrimination issues
- Leaving school and starting college, work or finding new friends
- Finding support in your area
We can also provide information and guidance to professionals working with deaf children and young people on these issues.
If you need specialist advice we can refer you to our team of experts, children and family support officers or appeals and disputes team.
We are unable to help:
- Deaf adults over 25
- Hearing children with deaf parents
- With housing questions
- With immigration questions
- Deaf children and young people who live outside of the UK
- Those with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD).
- Set aside enough time: calls and web chats can often take up to 20 minutes
- Try to find a quiet place to talk
- Have a pen and paper to hand, along with any paperwork you want to discuss
- When you email, include details of your child’s age and the area you live in. This will help us to give you the right information
- If your enquiry is urgent, please contact us by phone, web chat or BSL video relay during opening hours
- Calls to the helpline may be recorded for training and monitoring purposes
- You have the right to object to your data being processed: if you do, we will explain what that means
- For more detail on how we process your data, view our privacy statement
If you have a minute, it would be great if you could complete our short survey about your contact with the helpline.