Publications and resources

Download Including Deaf Children and Young People: a how-to guide  

34 million deaf children worldwide live in developing countries, and most have little or no language when they start primary school.

During the International Week of the Deaf 2018, we want to share different ways to include deaf children and young people in their family, in education and in their community.

We support projects in South Asia, East Africa and Latin America to give deaf children access to communication including sign language from birth.

Some deaf people speak, some use sign language and some use both. Find out what your friend does. You can use this postcard and poster to learn more about how to communicate with your deaf friend.

• Talking to Your Deaf Friends Postcard (English) PDF
• Cómo hablar con tus amigos sordos (Spanish) PDF 
• Talking to your deaf friends (Bengali - Bangladesh) PDF
• Talking to your deaf friends (Bengali - India) PDF 
• Talking to your deaf friends (Kannada - India) PDF
• Talking to your deaf friends (Odiya - India) PDF
• Kuzungumza Na Marafiki Wako Viziwi (Tanzania) PDF 
• Kuzungumza Na Marafiki Wako Wasioweza Sikia (Kenya) PDF 

The Language and Communication paper aims to provide further information for our partners; for families of deaf children and for deaf children and young people themselves as well as for other audiences who may want to learn more about deafness and how it affects children and their families, especially those living in low resource settings.

Language and communication are vital in everyday life and the sooner deaf children are supported to acquire these skills, the better they will be able to develop social and emotional well-being, to negotiate and to learn.

Download our Language and Communication paper.

Our report Achieving academic excellence for deaf learners focuses on the ways in which special education teachers in Kenya support the early language development needs of deaf children. 

In partnership with VSO Kenya, the research revealed that many deaf children in Kenya have significant challenges learning to communicate and in some cases are delayed by as much as ten years in the development of their first language.  The study also found that teachers are unprepared to support deaf children and were confused about how to teach Kenyan Sign Language (KSL), compared to other languages. 

The research also provides recommendations which can support the Government of Kenya to fulfil its commitments to children with disabilities and help improve early year’s education for deaf children.

Download our Achieving academic excellence for deaf learners research brief.

In Kolkata in October 2017, Deaf Child Worldwide staff trained 8 DRM’s to be project evaluators so they could lead in end of project evaluation with deaf children and young people. The four day training covered evaluator skills, safeguarding, confidentiality, communication, information gathering and reporting.

The training was overall a huge success and the DRMs showed considerable strengths, specifically; communication skills, the ability to positively engage with deaf children, reliability, patience, enthusiasm and an impressive commitment to their role.

Read the full Deaf Role Model Evaluator Training Report PDF 

In partnership between Deaf Child Worldwide and Childreach Tanzania, we consulted with deaf young people in Tanzania exploring their knowledge of the challenges they face when leaving school and their experiences of accessing information and support to transition to an independent life. 

The Deaf Education Development Programme report  summarises consultation activities held with deaf young people during August 2017 exploring their knowledge of the challenges they face when leaving school and their experiences of accessing information and support to transition to an independent life.

Find out more about our Deaf Education Development Programme 

We're working with the Uganda National Association of the Deaf and Sign Health Uganda to develop a project called the Birds and the Bees. The project teaches deaf young people about sexual and reproductive health so that they in turn can give advice, counselling and training to other deaf young people.

Download Birds and the Bees consultation report PDF

Deaf Fact Sheet provides basic information and awareness on deafness targeted at parents, teachers and anyone who interacts with deaf children and young people.

Deaf Fact Sheet  

Hoja Informativa (Deaf Fact Sheet Spanish)

We have developed sign language books in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania which aim to:

• Empower families to improve their communication skills
• Ensure that deaf children are included in their family life and in their communities
• Empower deaf children to express their own views and values and develop the social skills they need to lead independent lives
• Allow deaf children to fulfil their potential

To find out more about these books or to place an order, please contact us

We have also produced guidelines for teaching sign language aimed at parents, carers and families of deaf children.

Guidelines for Teaching Sign Language 

Guía para los instructores de lengua de señas

Glue ear is one of the most common childhood illnesses and most children will experience glue ear at least once.

Our posters and booklets for parents and carers with contain information on glue ear including what to look out for, the causes, and symptoms, treatments and prevention.

Glue Ear Guide Booklet for parents is available in  English , Spanish, Hindi,  Bengali and Swahili.

The Family Friendly resource, published in 2008, aims to raise awareness of the important role that parents and families can play in the lives of their deaf children and in their communities. It is written for all those who want to know more about parental involvement in support for deaf children, but especially those who are involved in providing services for deaf children and their families.

Family Friendly

 We have produced a series of three books in Bengali to support community based rehabilitation workers, parents, families and school teachers in teaching sign language to deaf children in an informal, relaxed and engaging manner. The book provides a framework to learn sign language, reading and writing skills through pictures, signs, workshops using vocabulary and conversation from everyday life.

Language Development book 1

Language Development book 2

Language Development book 3

These books have been produced as part of our project 'Deaf Children and Primary Education in West Bengal' funded by the National Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund. 

'Breaking Down the Barriers’ is our regular newsletter which features updates from projects including recent events, activities and personal stories from people who experience the work of Deaf Child Worldwide first hand. This newsletter is produced in English and Spanish and is distributed to our partners to encourage shared learning and experiences among deaf children, young people and their families across the world.

Breaking Down the Barriers is now an e-newsletter. If you would like to receive a copy, Please join our email mailing list.