Our wishes for more inclusion in 2025

As we approach the end of 2024 as a deaf family, we’ve started to think about our hopes and aspirations for 2025. Like many of you, our goals are associated with a more inclusive world for all d/Deaf children and young people (DCYP). Improving the lives of DCYP in 2025 requires a multi-faceted approach focusing on inclusion, empowerment, and opportunity.

Here are our 4 key strategies to (hopefully) make meaningful changes in the new year:

Communication support

One of our biggest hopes would be for the wider use of a signed language. Through my social media account, @Hands2Hear, we are trying to encourage sign language learning among peers, families, and educators by displaying a few simple signs every Sunday: #SignSunday.

Access to qualified interpreters would be a very close second on our list – to ensure professional interpreters are readily available for events, healthcare appointments, and in education (much easier said than done, I know, but it is a ‘hope and goals’ blog!).

Education access and quality

For us as a family, we’d love to see a bilingual (or even trilingual) education system where schools offer options in sign language and written/spoken language, giving deaf students equal access. Education settings would ensure that they provide a fully inclusive learning environment along with accessible technology, such as visual aids and learning apps for deaf learners.

We also discussed the need for a future with bullying prevention – where schools and online spaces can implement robust anti-bullying policies for d/Deaf children.

Social inclusion and awareness

When Ffion-Hâf was a baby, the National Deaf Children's Society’s family officer ensured that we were part of a weekly peer support group. Apprehensive at first, I can confirm that this was (is) one of the best groups I have ever been a part of. It was a safe space for new parents who had deaf children to share experiences and build friendships. Our group continues to meet regularly – 15 years later! Parents enjoy catching up on the latest technology and deaf events, whilst our children absolutely love seeing each other, as many of them attend mainstream schools where they are the only deaf child. So spending time with their deaf friends is of the utmost importance for their deaf identity.

Our hope would be that groups such as this continue to grow and evolve so that communities come together, provide support for each other and offer a place where new parents can learn and educate each other about Deaf culture and the wonderful Deaf community.

As a child, growing up in West Wales meant that accessible and inclusive sporting and recreational opportunities were very limited. It was much later in life that I became involved with Wales Deaf Rugby (current World Champions, I may add!) and found one of my passions. Therefore, another one of our goals for 2025, is for the younger generation of d/Deaf children to be able to have full access to all Deaf sports, wherever they reside – be it rurally or within an inner city.

Mental health and wellbeing

It is a known fact that 40% of children who are d/Deaf will experience mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, compared to 25% of hearing children (see Mental Health and Deafness report from NHS). Our hope for 2025 is that counselling services offer mental health support tailored to the unique experiences of d/Deaf children and young people.

Many deaf children are born to hearing parents and attend mainstream school where they may be the only deaf person. They may experience challenges or uncertainties around their deaf identity. Are they hearing? Are they deaf? Are they somewhere in the middle? This causes health and wellbeing issues for many young deaf people as they approach adolescence.

Another factor for us is to have more positive d/Deaf role models in 2025 to inspire confidence and ambition in the younger generation. This is something I never had growing up, so it is a personal wish for my daughter and others like her.

All in all, as a parent of a profoundly Deaf child and a Qualified Teacher of the Deaf, I question, will 2025 be the year where our children and young people:

• Won't have to ask for captions?
• Won’t be an afterthought when it comes to accessibility?
• Won’t be held back due to other peoples’ perspectives and limited beliefs on what a d/Deaf child can achieve?
• Won’t be seen as ‘less than’?
• Won’t face prejudice for the way they communicate?

One can only hope and dream for a brighter, more inclusive, more accessible 2025…

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Kristy (@Hands2Hear)