Transcript Slide 1

Supporting deaf children and young people
experiencing abuse
Lynn Shannon – Service Manager
Rachael Williams – Project Manager
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
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
What are the challenges
facing young Deaf people
have learning what makes
a good relationship?
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
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
Capturing and delivering
• We deliver workshops and tailored courses
on issues such as:
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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
Case Study
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
Contact us
Young DeafHope:
Available 9-5pm Monday to Friday
SMS/Text:
07970 350366
Email:
[email protected]
Telephone:
0208 772 3241
(voice/minicom)
Write to us:
Young DeafHope, The Bridge, Falcon Mews,
46 Oakmead Road, Balham, London