MPs urged to improve support for deaf children

Deaf teenager Bethany, from Plymouth, attended the Labour Party Conference yesterday [Monday 28 September] to urge MPs to improve support for deaf children in England.

Bethany, 18, a Plymouth City College student and a member of the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) Youth Advisory Board, was in Brighton to ask MPs to back the NDCS Listen Up! campaign.

The campaign is calling on the Government to introduce mandatory standards for audiology services, a third of which are failing to provide an adequate service.  The charity is also asking MPs to support its call for Ofsted to inspect local education services for deaf children, in a bid to drive up standards.

Bethany said: “It’s been really useful to come along today and meet MPs. I personally have found lack of deaf awareness a problem when trying to arrange audiology appointments.

"My audiology service is constantly leaving messages, but I can’t hear on my family’s landline phone.

"I’m also concerned that, without proper Ofsted inspection, families with a deaf child – like my family – have no way of knowing if their specialist education support is up to standard.

"It was great to discuss these issues with MPs, who have the power to make a difference.”