Resources

Deaf parenting website

Sabina Iqbal, Chair and Founder of Deaf Parenting UK, reports on the launch of its new website.

Deaf Parenting UK (DPUK) – a national organisation run by Deaf parents for Deaf parents – has launched its new website, which has been revamped and designed by Remark!

The website was launched at DPUK’s Annual General Meeting in July 2007, together with a report of achievement, looking at how far DPUK has come since it started in 2001.

DPUK was set up to represent the needs of Deaf parents in the UK, who are British Sign Language (BSL) users. Most of these parents have hearing children.

DPUK trustees and Remark! staff worked together on the website, and also designed a professional exhibition stand for the launch, using lots of visual images. The aim is to increase DPUK’s profile.

A positive slogan – ‘Enabling confidence, empowering and supporting Deaf parents’ – was created as DPUK’s motto and displayed on the exhibition stand and website.

The new website is an exciting resource bank of information for Deaf parents and professionals working with them. Every page displays BSL translation, enabling Deaf parents to have equal access to information.

It includes a comprehensive list of useful resources, covering subjects such as pregnancy and birth, baby care, family life, school issues and parenting teenagers, as well as a section dedicated to children of deaf adults, and details of research papers and references.

It also hosts a forum/message board where browsers can register and join the discussions to share experiences, contribute ideas and support one another as Deaf parents and professionals working with them.

A news section is included on the site, highlighting DPUK’s achievements, which include attendance at the 15th World Congress of the World Federation for the Deaf in Madrid in July 2007; receipt of funding from the Local Network Fund to run 12 monthly family day events for Deaf parents and children; and DPUK’s partnership project with Parentline Plus to train newly recruited trainers to deliver Deaf parenting skills courses to Deaf parents within their local area.

There is also information on all DPUK services, including befriender services, Deaf parenting skills courses, one-to-one parenting support, presentations and consultations.

DPUK welcomes contributions and feedback to help develop the website. To find out more about DPUK and its services, please visit www.deafparent.org.uk