Supporting deaf children and young people experiencing abuse

1. Supporting deaf children and young people experiencing abuse Lynn Shannon – Service Manager Rachael Williams – Project Manager

2. Background • Works under the auspices of Signhealth and in partnership with DeafHope UK • YDH is a fully funded 3 year pilot project • YDH works in London, South East of England and Home Counties • Aimed at young d/Deaf people ages 11-30 • Work in deaf schools, PHUs, youth clubs & community groups • Raises awareness of healthy relationships, staying safe and domestic abuse

4. Statistics • Deaf children are four times more vulnerable to abuse and neglect • 50% of deaf people have been abused during their childhood, physically or sexually • 40% of deaf people will have some type of mental health problem during their lifetime (against 25% of general population) • Sign Health’s own counselling service reviewed 150 cases and found: • 10% were direct referrals for domestic abuse • 50% clients declared during counselling that they were subject to domestic abuse

5. What are the challenges facing young Deaf people have learning what makes a good relationship?

6. Challenges • Secondary abuse happening through lack of communication skills or ‘sweeping it under the carpet” • Lack of suitable resources • Language barrier • Not heard about as part of everyday conversation • Limited access to communication for young people • Poor communication between young people with carers and significant adults • Young person’s disclosure not being taken seriously • BME groups – some parents do not want their child to learn about DV

9. Our Work • Centred around education and preventative work – cause and consequence, conflict resolution and changing behaviour patterns. • Workshops on developing healthy relationships & how to recognise if your relationship may be at risk or unsafe, or if your own behaviour is abusive • What you can do to ensure your own safety, how and who to report problems to • Building blocks for improving assertiveness, confidence and healthy relating

10. Capturing and delivering • We deliver workshops and tailored courses on issues such as: • Recognising abuse and domestic violence • Consensual Sex • Staying safe • Cyberbullying, Sexting and Internet safety • Developing and maintaining healthy relationships • We can also offer: • 1 to 1 or small group peer support • Signposting/referral to accessible psychological and support services

11. Case Study

12. Some successes! • One school is enhancing their pastoral support as a result of our intervention. • 136 young deaf people have benefitted from our courses/workshops. • We have enough survivors to set up a support group. • Brought in more appropriate support to families to prevent family breakdown • Improved child protection procedures

13. Contact us Young DeafHope: Available 9-5pm Monday to Friday SMS/Text: 07970 350366 Email: deafhope@signhealth.org.uk Telephone: 0208 772 3241 (voice/minicom) Write to us: Young DeafHope, The Bridge, Falcon Mews, 46 Oakmead Road, Balham, London SW12 9SJ