Raising a deaf or hard-of-hearing child can be a challenging experience without the right support and access to information.
Making sure you get the right help and support, will help your child’s development so they can reach their full potential.
Organisations that can help:
General state based deaf societies, services and resources
Able Australia – not for profit that provides services to people living with multiple disabilities including Deafblindness.
ACT Deafness Resource Centre – offers training services, youth groups and services that raise awareness.
Aussie Deaf Kids – online information and support for families raising a child with a hearing loss.
Australian Tinnitus Association NSW – provides information, support and counselling to tinnitus sufferers and preventative education to the wider community.
Better Health Channel – health and medical information that is quality assured, reliable, up to date, easy to understand, regularly reviewed and locally relevant. The Victorian Government fully funds Better Health Channel, with no commercial advertising or corporate sponsorship.
Better Hearing Australia – is an independent consumer association for people who have hearing loss in Australia. It is a not for profit, self help organisation controlled by members and provides Australia wide community support.
Bionics Institute – biomedical research institute focusing on bionic hearing through cochlear implants, bionic vision through stimulation of the optic nerve and neurobionics through deep brain stimulation.
CICADA – the Cochlear Implant Club and Advisory Association is a support organisation to provide support through fellowship for implant recipients, their families and friends.
Conexu Foundation – aims to use technology to bridge the communication divide between hard of hearing, Deaf or speech impaired Australians, and the broader community.
Deaf Australia – is an organisation for people who communicate principally in Auslan (Australian Sign Language).
Deaf Victoria – not for profit led and managed by Deaf and hard of hearing people through provision of advocacy and information services to strengthen community participation and quality of life for Deaf and hard of hearing Victorians.
Deafblind Information – by Senses Australia. An accessible, web based resource for individuals living with a combination of vision and hearing impairments, their families and support members, professionals and service providers.
Deaf Children Australia – provides a range of services to families with deaf and hard of hearing children.
Deaf Sports Australia – is the peak body for Deaf Sports in Australia and supports the participation of deaf Australians in all levels of sport.
Deafness Council of Western Australia – facilitates the work of Deaf and hearing impaired people and agencies. The Council encourages relevant research and represents the needs and interests of Deaf and hearing impaired to decision makers.
Deafness Foundation (VIC) – dedicated to supporting the Deaf and hearing impaired through research, prevention, education, early detection and technology.
Hearing Australia – statutory authority constituted under the Australian Hearing Services Act 1991.
Hearing Matters Australia – Self help for hard of hearing people. SHHH is a not for profit organisation dedicated to helping Australians with hearing loss. Provides world leading research and hearing services for the wellbeing of all Australians.
HEARnet – an online network that brings together the latest information about hearing loss and how it can best be prevented, remedied and managed.
National Auslan Interpreter Booking and Payment Service – provides interpreters for any person who uses sign language to communicate and wants an interpreter for private medical appointments.
National Acoustic Laboratories – research division of Hearing Australia.
National Relay Service – is a telephone relay service that allows people who are deaf or have a hearing, speech or other communication impairment to make phone calls.
Parent Council for Deaf Education – is a not for profit organisation in NSW dedicated to supporting parents of children who are deaf and hearing impaired.
Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children – Australia’s largest non government provider of therapy, education and diagnostic services for people with hearing or vision loss.
Wimmera Hearing Society – voluntary hearing support organisation providing information and support in the Wimmera region of Victoria (based in Horsham).
Professional bodies
International organisations
Emergency
Social Support
Aussie Deaf Kids – not for profit providing support and resources for parents of deaf and hard of hearing children living in Australia
John Pierce Centre – inspired by the traditions of the Catholic Church, the John Pierce Centre seeks to empower all Deaf people and their families within Victoria.
Hear For You – not for profit that runs a series of dynamic workshops for deaf and hard of hearing teens of high school age in Australia and New Zealand.
Health Professionals
The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (RVEEH) – Australia’s specialty eye and ear hospital with outpatient clinics around Victoria. A world leader in eye, nose and throat services, RVEEH is at the cutting edge of research and teaching.
Cochlear Limited – provides information on cochlear implants and products, including hearing systems for cochlear, bone conduction and acoustic implants.
School Services
Some mainstream schools have programs that support deaf and hard of hearing students in their classrooms. It is worth contacting your local schools to find out what support they offer.
Victorian College for the Deaf – educational centre for deaf and hard of hearing students from Prep to Year 12. An innovative curriculum supports the college’s bilingual philosophy.
Aurora School – provides learning environments for Deaf and Deafblind children and their families across the state of Victoria.
Deaf Children Australia – provides information, advocacy, support services and educational resources that respond to the needs of deaf and hard of hearing children and their families.
Victorian Deaf Education Institute (VDEI) – works in partnership with schools, universities, early childhood, and deafness professionals to enable excellence in deaf education throughout Victoria for deaf, hard of hearing and young people, from birth to adulthood.
Early Intervention
Taralye – an internationally recognised early intervention centre provides inclusive oral language programs for children with hearing loss and their families in Victoria.
Deaf Connect - an early intervention and therapy support service for Deaf and hard of hearing infants and children
Early Education Programme – provides services for children under school age who have a permanent hearing loss.
Hear for Kids – an early intervention and therapy support service for Deaf and hard of hearing infants and children.
Newborn Hearing Screening
Australian Newborn Hearing Screening Programmes (Australia wide)
Women’s and Children’s Health Network (SA)
Healthy Hearing Programme (QLD)
Victorian Infant Hearing Screening Programme (VIC)
Universal New Born Hearing Screening and Diagnoses (TAS)
State Wide Infant Hearing Programme (NSW)
Newborn Hearing Screening Programme (WA)
Auslan Interpreting Services
Expression Australia Interpreting – provider of Auslan interpreters in VIC and TAS.
Access Interpreting – provider of Auslan interpreters in WA
ASLIA (Australian Sign Language Interpreters Association) – not for profit body and national peak organisation representing the interests of Auslan/English Interpreters and Deaf Interpreters in Australia.
Auslan Services – provider of Auslan interpreters Australia wide.
Auslan Stage Left – Quality Auslan Interpreted Theatre
Echo Interpreting – provider of Auslan interpreters in VIC
Ethnic Interpreting Services – provider of Auslan interpreters Australia wide.
ONCALL Interpreters & Translators – provider of Auslan interpreters Australia wide
National Auslan Interpreter Booking Services (NABS) – interpreter booking service for sign language users and health care providers for health care appointments. NABS recently changed their delivery model, learn more in their announcement video (link opens in a new window).
National Interpreting & Communication Services (NICSS) – provider of Auslan interpreters Australia wide
Translation Consultants International (TCI) – providers of language interpreters in Adelaide
Speak Your Language – provider of Auslan interpreters Australia wide
Learning Auslan
Expression Australia – Auslan Classes (VIC)
Access Plus – Auslan Courses (WA)
Auslan Signbank (free online resource on Auslan Signs)
Deaf Accessible Business Network – Auslan Community Classes
Melbourne Polytechnic – Auslan Courses (VIC)
Monash Short Courses – Auslan (VIC)
School of Languages – Auslan Community Courses (SA)
Sign Language Australia – Auslan – Community Classes (SA)
Sign Planet (online free Auslan resource and activities)
TAFE Sign Language Courses (SA)
TAFE Sign Language Courses (QLD)
TAFE Sign Language Courses (VIC)
TAFE Sign Language Courses (WA)
The Auslan Company – Auslan Community Classes (Online)
Victorian Auslan Training Consortium – accredited Auslan courses (VIC)
Deaf Awareness Training
Expression Australia – Deaf Awareness Training (NATIONAL)
Access Plus – Deaf Awareness Training (WA)
Deaf Accessible Business Network – Deaf Awareness Training
Deaf Australia – Deaf Awareness Training
Deaf Children Australia – Deaf Awareness Training
National Interpreting & Communication Services – Deaf Awareness Training
Sign for Work – Deaf Awareness Training (VIC & QLD)
Communications & Technology
Accessible Telecoms (Australia)
