Discovering Deafness - An Introduction

Introducing the ‘Discovering Deafness’ Series For Parents of Deaf and Hard of Hearing kids

Our ‘Discovering Deafness’ series is being developed to introduce new parents of Deaf and hard of hearing children to the Deaf community, culture and communication journey.

In collaboration with our Therapy and Family Services team, who are experts in early intervention, and with the inclusion of Deaf perspectives, these resources will aim to:

Answer questions parents might have

Support families through this journey, from discovery to teenage years and beyond.

Inform empowering language surrounding deafness

Approximately 95% of deaf and hard of hearing children are born to hearing parents who may have no prior knowledge or experience with deafness. Families often ask questions such as “Will they be able to communicate like us?” or “Will they be able to function well in the world?” or “What if they can’t respond to danger?”

– Department of Education, Skills and Employment Australian Government (2020)

Every family’s journey is unique

We recognise the importance of developing language and communication skills, and integrating into the community in a way that works best for you and your child.

‘Discovering Deafness’ is here to present the options available to you, share the experiences and stories of other families, and provide information about early intervention programs and services.

As the largest Deaf-led organisation in Australia, Deaf Connect’s Therapy and Family Services team provides a range of therapy services and programs, including, but not limited to, speech language pathology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, psychology, counselling, social work, parent to parent mentoring, and family support services.