Research project supports families with deaf children

Researchers would like to know more about how families on a low income manage when bringing up a deaf child.

A new project from the University of Edinburgh is looking for 25 low-income families with a deaf child to take part in interviews about their experience.

The project is funded by the National Deaf Children’s Society and is running throughout April and May.  

The families participating can be from anywhere in the UK and the interviews will be held in their own homes or in centres nearby.  

We think that many families living on a low income have really different experiences of raising a deaf child than families who are financially better off.  This can have long-term effects on their deaf child’s educational outcomes. We want to explore families’ views on their experiences and approaches.

Interviews

Two of the specially-trained interviewers have personal experience of raising a deaf child while living on a low income.  The team can also book spoken community language interpreters.  Another Deaf researcher is available to interview in British Sign Language.

Three discussion groups are also planned for London, Glasgow and Birmingham. Families taking part in the study receive a £30 voucher for their time, and all information gleaned through the interviews will be anonymised.  

Taking part

The project is called 'Telling It Like It Is' and is led by Rachel O’Neill who works within in the Scottish Sensory Centre (SSC) at Moray House.  The SSC is Scotland’s leading centre for educational, research and development activities relating to deaf children and young people.  

If you are interested in taking part, please ring or text Theresa Monaghan on 07731 396180.

More information

Moray House School of Education: https://www.ed.ac.uk/education

Scottish Sensory Centre: http://sscserver.education.ed.ac.uk/

'Telling It Like It Is': http://www.ssc.education.ed.ac.uk/research/tellingit/