Language Deprivation is not OK

Our National Deaf Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) have shared that many of their assessments show that emotional and behavioural problems in young people are a direct result of being deprived of an accessible language such as British Sign Language.

This is called language deprivation. It is preventable and it is not ok.

Please join us by sharing this animation and help to raise awareness of this preventable problem.

This fantastic film is a reminder to other professionals, the public and anyone who works with young people to be aware of the very real barriers that exist in our communities and to give deaf children access to British Sign Language and any other support that meets their needs.

[rachaelBSL]

Absolutely agree. Maybe a video with some BSL and other solutions would help parents of Deaf children understand the options available and see that BSL is a language in its own right, and not a limitation on someone’s ability to communicate.
Also, I strongly feel that hearing parents of Deaf children should be given free access to BSL classes and sign language awareness to reduce any stigma or Worries, they may have

[englishrose]

Families with deaf children should be given every possible support and that includes difficult conversations about the possible negative impact of language deprivation as your film highlights. There is no doubt it is a tough responsibility to bear to be told that your child's cognitive potential as well as social and emotional wellbeing is all down to the choices and EFFORT you make in their earliest years. In my experience families are not given free and easy access to BSL lessons and role-models even if they are prepared to take on another culture and language for their child's benefit. It is far more common that one or two members of a family may 'learn some signs' and carry on speaking English while adding a sign here and there when they can, this still gets called British Sign Language when it is a basic pidgin which does little to address the issues in your film. Until whole families of hearing people are fully empowered to become fluent users of British Sign Language if they want to and at little or no cost I think it would be very helpful if the message underneath films like this did a little more to emphasise the range of 'any other support that meets their needs' and one of those options is called Cued Speech. This is a simple lip reading tool that is entirely functional for speech perception (regardless of the level of deafness), it can be learned in a weekend and it is totally free of charge for families to access training and support.

[englishrose]

Profound and very hard hitting message, and the solution is?

[John-Doe-et]

What about Cued Speech (Cued Language Transliteration)?

[christophermichaelwyer]

Would be extremely helpful if BSL was included especially if it is about language deprivation! CI is not the answer or a simple fix! Deaf children should be given informed choices.