Tell us about GDA’s CYPF service
GDA’s CYPF service has grown over the last few years into a complete service for deaf children. When I first started all that was here was a group run by volunteers with no funding and just a few attendees. I was a volunteer at that time and we started out just trying to make it fun and engaging with simple crafts and colouring sheets. Since then it’s exploded. We’re now supporting over 50 families with a structured programme from birth to aged 15 including Dalmatian Pups (0-4) baby group, Dalmatians group (0-8) including trips and activity sessions, and our NXT GEN group (9–15) which is a youth group provision. It’s now a fully funded complete family service, supported by Children in Need, Pied Piper, Active Impact, Midcounties Coop and the National Deaf Children’s society. We won a ‘Pioneer Award’ from local funder Active Impact.
Why is the service so popular?
The impact of CYPF is actually much bigger than people first realise. Most deaf children are in mainstream schools, and around 90% are born to hearing parents, so a lot of them don’t naturally get to meet other deaf children.
That’s why our groups matter so much. It helps parents realise there can be a positive future ahead for their child, and it gives their child connection, identity, and a sense of “I’m not the only one.” One of our young people once said, “I like coming here (NXT GEN) it’s fun and there are other people just like me,” This can be life-changing, to find out that difference can be positive. That’s exactly why we do it.
What’s unique about GDA’s approach?
I don’t want to sound biased, so I’ll take my lead from what families tell us and the biggest thing we hear is that it feels personal.
It’s the people that make GDA what it is. We genuinely care. When a new family joins, we’re actually buzzing about it because we just want to help as many people as we can.
It’s very face-to-face, very relationship based. We don’t just “run sessions” we get to know families properly and walk alongside them.
What’s been most rewarding about your job?
For me, it’s the relationships and watching children grow. I love seeing a child who maybe started off quiet or unsure suddenly finding their confidence, making friends, and just being themselves.
Being around Deaf family members in my own life has made this even more personal for me too. It’s made me more passionate about making sure Deaf children feel proud of who they are, not like they need to change for everyone else.
And the progress you see in just a few months with some of the children is just amazing. This job has honestly made me more passionate than I was before. Every family is completely unique – their stories, their challenges, their child. It’s definitely shaped me both professionally and personally. I’ve learnt that there’s never “one way” of doing things. You’re constantly adapting, learning, and finding new ways to support people and I love that, because it means the service just keeps getting better.
What can we expect in future?
My brain honestly moves faster than reality sometimes, I always want to do everything at once! But realistically, we’re building step by step. We are building our new baby group which is a vital support for new parents and carers. It can be overwhelming having to learn about deafness and learning new communication methods when you’ve just had a baby! We’re here to support those parents and help them navigate in a place where their child can belong. We also really want to grow support around BSL for families. There is no statutory funding for parents to learn to sign which is a real barrier for parents who are trying their absolute best to support their child. We’re looking for funding to support parents to learn visual communication with their child which has been shown in research to improve language outcomes for deaf children, even if they have cochlear implants. At the other end, a big goal for us is a young adults programme for 16–25-year-olds, so support doesn’t just stop when they leave school. We want to help with independence, confidence, and that transition into adulthood. GDA is a community hub where people naturally belong and feel safe. Not forced, not clinical just somewhere they want to come back to. We already use Total Communication, which is a holistic approach to available methods of communication such as gestures, spoken language, and BSL, of which we tailor to each person’s preferences. Looking ahead, the focus is on strengthening this approach even further so that families feel confident, supported, and reassured from the very start. Ultimately, I want Deaf young people to grow up confident in their identity and proud of who they are and to grow with us along the way.
