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Unheard children. Championing deaf children’s rights to family, community, education and independence in developing countries

DEAF CHILDREN WORLDWIDE
November 2020

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This report highlights the specific barriers facing deaf children and young people and demonstrates a number of smallscale approaches and initiatives that have succeeded in breaking down some of these barriers.

Topics are:

  • Language and communication. Early diagnosis and support (example from Bangladesh). Effective and affordable hearing technology. Communication choices. What is sign language? Tanzanian Sign Language – the need for more interpreters
  • Families. Early diagnosis and support. Upskilling parents and primary caregivers. Power to the parents (example from Uganda). Catalyst for change (example from India). 
  • Communities. Deaf role models (example from Bangladesh). Challenging the public and professionals. Educating the police force (example from India). Sharing knowledge across organisations
  • Education. Intensive communication. Extra help in the classroom (example from Kenya). Making secondary education accessible. Developing sign language skills. Inclusive further and higher education
  • Independence. Listening to deaf young people. Involving deaf young people in research. Support to make informed choices. Challenging perceptions in the workplace (example from Kenya)

 

 

Deaf education development programme. Young people’s consultation, Tanzania, August 2017

COWAN, Jo
September 2017

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In partnership with Deaf Child Worldwide, Childreach Tanzania delivered the Deaf Education and Development Programme (DEDP) from June 2014 to June 2017 in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania. The DEDP improved the quality of life of deaf young people by:

› increasing enrolment and retention of young people in training centres

› improving sign language proficiency and communication between deaf young people and key stakeholders in their lives

› connecting deaf youth to internships and other business opportunities to support them to earn a living.

However, the DEDP highlighted many examples of deaf young people developing vocational skills, but still failing to transition from secondary school or vocational training centres into work. Phase two of this project will focus on youth employment, livelihoods and transition from school to independent living.

 

This report summarises consultation activities held with deaf young people during August 2017. The consultation explored their knowledge of the challenges they face when leaving school and their experiences of accessing information and support to help them transition to an independent life. The findings of this consultation have been hugely influential in the proposed project design for phase two. The consultation was a three-day workshop held at a community-based hub hosting a different group of young people each day. Group 1 – Young people who have left school. Group 2 – Moshi Technical School students (secondary school). Group 3 – Ghona Vocational Training Centre students

Family friendly! Working with deaf children and their communities worldwide

WILSON, Kirsty
MILES, Susie
KAPLAN, Ian
February 2008

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This comprehensive resource focuses on the important role that parents and families can play in the lives of their deaf child within the larger community. It is written as a guidebook for parents or anyone who wants to learn more about parental involvement in the support of deaf children, but specifically for service providers

Deaf Child Worldwide

DEAF CHILD WORLDWIDE

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Deaf Child Worldwide is the leading UK organisation working with deaf children in developing countries, promoting their inclusion in family, education and community life. The website details the current projects being supported and has a list of resources and materials aimed at deaf children and young people, their families and professionals

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