ABOUT AVUK

 

 

Auditory Verbal therapy – Creating a sound future for deaf children. You can help transform life opportunities for deaf children. Here’s how.
 

Deaf children in the UK currently face the prospect of lower academic achievement, lower employment, and are at higher risk of poor mental health, bullying and social exclusion.

This shouldn’t be the case.

Recent research shows that only 39% of people believe that it is possible for a child born deaf today to learn to speak as well as a child without hearing loss. But it is possible. Ernie,18 shows us how:

Ernie was diagnosed as profoundly deaf as a baby and initially his parents didn’t know anyone who was deaf or had deaf children, or what support was out there. Keen for Ernie to learn to listen and talk, through their research they found out about Auditory Verbal therapy and Auditory Verbal UK’s family programme which they enrolled in when Ernie was seven months old.

“I didn’t think Ernie would ever speak let alone say the word Mum,” said Ernie’s mum, Chrissie

Ernie graduated from the Auditory Verbal therapy programme with spoken language ahead of a hearing child his age. He thrived at a mainstream primary and secondary school. He is now at the London Screen Academy studying film and TV. Ernie’s mum shared “We are still so incredibly thankful to all the staff at AVUK, but also disappointed that years on from Ernie’s diagnosis, awareness and expectations for deaf children and young people are still low and that families do not know what options are out there for them.”

Auditory Verbal UK (AVUK) is an award-winning charity that is helping transform outcomes and opportunities for deaf babies and young children. They have a clear vision: all deaf children should have the same opportunities in life as their hearing peers. They support deaf babies and children whose families want them to learn to listen and speak through Auditory Verbal therapy and provide internationally accredited training in Auditory Verbal practice for health and education professionals.

In AVUK’s most recent study, 80% of deaf children who attended its Auditory Verbal therapy programme for at least two years achieved age-appropriate spoken language.
The majority of these children are achieving educational outcomes on par with their hearing peers. But at present more than 90% of the deaf children in the UK that could benefit from Auditory Verbal therapy, like Ernie, are unable to access it. AVUK wants to change this, and you can support them today.

Auditory Verbal UK receives no direct government funding and relies on the generous donations from individuals, trusts and companies to provide their vital services.

Find out more and support AVUK in creating a sound future for deaf children by visiting their donation page.