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A MESSAGE FROM BDA CHIEF EXECUTIVE, DAVID BUXTON

Dear members, supporters and friends

PLEASE SIGN THE E-PETITION - SUPPORTING THE "DEAF CHILDREN FUTURES" CAMPAIGN

We have been asked by Susan Daniels, CEO of the NDCS to help the NDCS Campaign to stop "public service cuts that are stealing deaf children's futures". We agree with this campaign for two main reasons:

Firstly, I was recently told that a couple visited a deaf unit in a large mainstream secondary school and was told that the County Council feel there is NO need to provide full time communication support because they consider all the deaf children and young people are able to "cope" with their digital hearing aids or cochlear implants when "listening" to the teachers talking! I was very shocked as this seems to take our deaf children back to how it was 100 years ago!

Secondly, I am the father of little partially deaf boy and have witnessed parents of my son's deaf friends not fighting for the inclusion of communication support in their child's SEN statement. They seem to assume that the deaf unit is sufficient for supporting their deaf children, but the unit does not have enough funding either! My wife and I have fought for many months to make sure the school includes specific support in our son's SEN statement, which has certainly helped my son achieve in his education at a level equal to his hearing peers.

So is this an expensive option? The BDA, NDCS and other organisations have to work together, to fight and safeguarding our deaf children's future - to ensure they get all the support they need and stop local education authorities reducing their access and support!

Therefore, if you are a parent of a deaf child, a deaf ex-school pupil, or a deaf ex-mainstreamer, or a friend of deaf people experiencing poor educational support and share similar concerns to my own Please go to http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/34073 It only takes a few minutes and anyone in the UK can sign the petition! There’s no age limit, so please pass this on to your friends, family and contacts and ask them to sing it and then pass it on too. Your signature – and those of your friends – really will make all the difference.

I understand that the NDCS needs 100,000 signatures to force a debate in the House of Commons about cuts which are leaving deaf children without the support they desperately need. Already, deaf children are twice as likely not to achieve 5 good GCSEs compared to their hearing peers - yet deafness is not a learning disability. A debate will compel ministers to explain what they will do to protect deaf children’s services; similar petitions have generated massive publicity and ultimately changed government policy. Please click on http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/34073 now.

This may be our only chance to force ministers to save deaf children’s futures. Please help the Campaign!

Thank you for your continued support!

Kind regards

David

PS Remember, the “multiplier effect” - if just 10 people sign the petition and then forward this onto 10 more people who sign the petition and forward it onto 10 more, we could reach the 100,000 target in just 4 steps! So please forward it on now, before it slips your mind.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/34073