Supporting Families of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children Through a Language-First Approach
Helping parents navigate diagnosis, communication choices, and advocacy with lived experience, practical guidance, and compassionate peer support.
About me
As a Deaf adult and parent advocate, I understand how important communication, connection, and feeling supported are when raising a Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing child.
I communicate using speech and lipreading in my daily life, while recognising that every Deaf child has their own communication needs and preferences. This experience gives me a personal understanding of both the possibilities and the limitations of different communication approaches.
Receiving a diagnosis or navigating early decisions can feel overwhelming. Many parents experience conflicting advice, pressure to make quick decisions, and uncertainty about what is best for their child.
My role is to walk alongside families by offering peer support grounded in lived experience, practical guidance, and a language-first approach.
I believe every Deaf child deserves the opportunity to grow up with strong access to language, meaningful communication, and a sense of belonging.
Through my work, I provide parent guidance and support to help families build the communication, advocacy, and decision-making skills needed to support their Deaf child’s development.
The Language First Approach
Language comes first. Before speech. Before pressure. Before expectations to fit in.
When children have strong access to communication that works for them, they are better positioned to build confidence, relationships, identity, and independence.
My approach focuses on helping families prioritise communication, connection, and informed decision-making throughout their parenting journey.
How I Support Families
I provide peer support for parents of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing children, including:
Understanding Diagnosis
Support in processing diagnosis and understanding what it means for your family.
Communication Guidance
Helping parents navigate communication and language development choices.
Advocacy Support
Practical guidance for navigating schools, services, medical professionals, and appointments.
Lived Experience Perspective
Sharing personal insight to help families better understand Deaf lived experience and identity.
Emotional Support
Providing a safe space for parents to ask questions, reflect, and feel supported.
Why Peer Support Matters
Sometimes the most valuable guidance comes from someone who has lived it.
Peer support offers families the opportunity to learn from lived experience, ask honest questions, and gain reassurance from someone who understands the realities of navigating Deafness beyond clinical advice.
My goal is not to tell parents what decisions to make.
My goal is to empower families with the confidence, understanding, and support they need to make informed choices for their child.
You don't have to navigate this alone
Raising a Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing child comes with unique questions and challenges, but you do not have to figure it all out by yourself.
Whether you are newly navigating diagnosis or looking for ongoing support, I am here to help.