IDCS launches development work to help India's three million deaf children

The International Deaf Children's Society (IDCS) is launching the first stage of its worldwide development work by establishing a programme in India. IDCS, the international wing of The National Deaf Children's Society (a UK organisation), will work with local partners to provide India's three million deaf children with more accessible and sustainable services.

IDCS has recruited a development manager in India, who will set up its programme, joining forces with a network of organisations across the country. The development work will also include conducting a national survey to find out what is needed for deaf children in every region in India.

This is the first step in a planned global programme for IDCS working with deaf children in the developing world. IDCS chose India to establish its first overseas programme because of the huge need and the existence of evolving services within the country. Four in every 1,000 children are born deaf, with 25,000 deaf babies born every year.* Only one in ten deaf children go to school and 50% of them drop out at the age of 13. There is no classroom support for teachers in mainstream schools with deaf children and there can be more than 60 children in a class with one teacher.

Importantly, India also has a well established NGO sector from which IDCS can learn and IDCS already has a strong partnership with Sense International (India), which was established in 1997.
The newly appointed India Development Manager, Seeta Sharma, was previously employed by Save the Children UK, working in West Bengal. She has extensive experience in establishing development programmes, conducting research and in working with partner agencies.

She said:

"It is IDCS's vision to bring parents of deaf children together and support local partners to develop more accessible and sustainable services for deaf children in India.

"Deaf children in India start life at a huge disadvantage and we need to raise awareness of how their needs can be met both by the Indian Government and in society. There are no active parent groups or parent networks, there is limited use of sign language and there is a lack of vocational training.

"Government structures do reach the most remote of local communities in India so it will be possible to work with deaf children, even in the most isolated regions."

International Development Manager Joanne Ayres said:

"While delivery mechanisms vary immensely, the issue of learning to communicate is the same for all deaf children across the world. The National Deaf Children's Society has almost 60 years of expertise, and capacity to support partner organisations and develop their ability to provide long-term services for deaf children in less developed countries."

The vision of IDCS is of a world where all deaf children have the opportunity to maximise their skills and abilities and achieve their personal ambitions.

• Our mission is to empower deaf children, young deaf people, their parents and carers across the world.
• Whilst recognising that lack of resources and equipment in some countries may make some communication methods inappropriate or unsustainable, IDCS believes that deaf children need to develop fluent language skills in order to understand and influence the world around them, by whatever means is the most appropriate for the individual.

The key priorities of IDCS are:

• Raising awareness and empowering parents of deaf children and deaf young people to ensure that the needs of deaf children are recognised among society and in political spaces
• Early diagnosis and intervention for deaf children
• Actively engaging with and learning from local, national and international NGOs to create strong and innovative partnerships to reach India's three million deaf children
• The development of community based projects
• The training of highly qualified professionals

For more information you can contact Joanne Ayres, IDCS International Development Manager at joanne.ayres@idcs.info or see the IDCS website www.idcs.info/index.htm

* Source: National Institute of the Hearing Handicapped, India