A STEVENSTON mum has spoken out about the challenges of raising a deaf child following the publication of a report by the National Deaf Children’s Society.

In its report – Getting It Right from the Start – the charity calls on the Scottish Government to take action to improve the standard of early years support for deaf children and their families.

Lee-Ann Howie, whose little boy Tyrese is deaf, is backing the call. She said: “I know how hard it can be when you are first told your child is deaf and you don’t understand the impact it will have. It is easy for parents to feel lost in those early years, which is why getting the right support for families from the very start is so important. My son Tyrese is now seven-years-old and is a wonderful example of the fantastic things deaf children can achieve when they get the support they need.”

The Getting It Right from the Start report highlights a stark attainment gap for deaf children and their hearing peers in Scotland. The charity says effective early years support is critical to closing this. The latest Scottish Government data shows that last year 11.8 per cent of deaf learners left school with no qualifications, compared with 2.6 per cent of all pupils.

Lee-Ann added: “Looking back, now I have no idea why Tyrese had to wait so long to be officially diagnosed but his hearing declined so fast that he was eligible for bilateral cochlear implants. Tyrese has now been ‘switched on’ since February 2014 and I am very proud that he is happy and able to communicate in a range of settings without getting so frustrated like he did as a toddler.

“It’s heartbreaking to watch your child suffer when you do not have the tools or knowledge to communicate with them – that is why I love the British Sign Language. As I learned to sign I could connect better with Tyrese. He is proud of his deaf identity.”

Katie Rafferty, Policy and Campaigns Manager for the National Deaf Children’s Society in Scotland, said: “Every child deserves the best start in life – but 90 per cent of deaf children are born to hearing parents with no experience of deafness, so early years support is vital to empower families and create equity.

“Continued investment into crucial services for deaf children is vital. These services provide unique support for deaf children but are under increasing pressure in a challenging financial climate.

“We are calling for an improved, consistent approach across Scotland to deliver this support and ensure no deaf child is left behind. With the right support from the very start, deaf children can achieve just as much as their hearing peers.”