Start here
Start with your child, then take one step
You do not have to become an expert overnight. Begin with connection, accessible communication and the people who can help.
Checked 1 October 2026
Your child is still your child
Deaf children can have rich friendships, interests and futures. A hearing test describes one part of your child. It does not describe their personality, potential or the childhood they deserve.
Three things to do today
- Make time for a relaxed interaction: a story, a shared toy or a familiar game. Follow your child’s attention.
- Write down one question about hearing or communication and one thing you have noticed at home.
- Choose one support route below. Ask for information in the language and format your family can access.
Hearing technology can support access to sound. Your child also needs access to language, explanations, emotions and everyday conversations.
Who does what?
| Who | What to ask about |
|---|---|
| Audiology team | Tests, results, hearing devices, follow up and changes in hearing. |
| Teacher of the Deaf and sensory service | Language access, family support and support in nursery or school. |
| Speech and language therapist | Communication and language assessment, including signing or other communication tools where appropriate. |
| SENDIASS | Impartial information about educational rights, decisions and support. |
| Other parents and Deaf adults | Lived experience, connection and questions you might not yet have thought to ask. |
Useful first questions
- What do the results tell us, and what remains uncertain?
- What language and communication can my child access now?
- How will we know whether support is working at home and in nursery or school?
- Who is our named contact, and when is the next review?
- Can we have a written summary and an interpreter or accessible format if needed?
Choose your starting point
Sources and further reading
Links go to the organisation responsible for the information. Practical prompts on this page are suggestions for family conversations.
- Hearing and Vision Specialist ServiceStockport Council · Checked 1 October 2026
- Contact the Hearing and Vision Specialist ServiceStockport Council · Checked 1 October 2026
- Spoken language and communication approachesNDCS, external resource · Checked 1 October 2026
- Stockport SENDIASSTogether Trust, service provider · Checked 1 October 2026