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Update on the parent-led Teachers of the Deaf petition (Wales)

January 2025

We’ve been supporting Ros Hannam's campaign urging the Welsh Government to invest in specialist qualified Teachers of the Deaf (ToDs). 

As a mother of two deaf children, Ros knows first-hand the difference ToDs make to families with deaf children. 

In October 2023, Ros set up a petition asking the Government in Wales to:  

  • Make a long-term financial commitment to restoring ToD numbers in Wales to their 2011 levels. 
  • Highlight to local authorities the important role that ToDs play in meeting the needs of deaf children and their families. 

The petition closed on 13 April 2024 with 1,431 signatures. This was a fantastic result – thank you to everyone who added their name. 

Next steps 

The Petitions Committee in the Senedd (the Welsh Parliament) had their first discussion of Ros’s petition in November 2024. You can see the progress of Ros’s petition on the Senedd website.

The committee also asked the Cabinet Secretary for Education in the Welsh Government for a formal response to the petition’s calls, and was told:  “Teachers of the Deaf and other specialists are an essential part of this workforce”. Download the full response here (PDF).

We’ll continue to work with Ros to plan the next steps for her campaign to make sure the Government takes action for more ToDs, and we have been talking to the Members of the Senedd (MSs) who sit on the Petitions Committee to make sure they know how important the issue is. 

In the meantime, if you would like to support Ros’ petition further, you can contact your MSs to call for them to back the petition as it progresses. You can find their contact details here. 

Why the Teachers of the Deaf campaign matters 

ToDs are essential for supporting the language and communication development of deaf children. They support families and guide mainstream teachers and schools on deaf awareness and inclusion. 

In Wales, the number of ToDs has fallen by 17% since 2011, and a third of them are set to retire over the next decade. 

Without urgent action the number of ToDs in Wales will continue to decrease. This will make it harder for families with deaf children to access the support they need.