"The Audiology Clinic at Children’s Hospital at Westmead assesses a large number of infants from the NSW newborn hearing screening program, SWISH.

Then we diagnose significant permanent hearing loss, the family is supported by a large group of professionals and organisations. However, direct support from other parents was not routinely available, even though our reading had told us this is what parents really wanted.

We were therefore thrilled when the Deaf Society contacted us last year about their exciting new initiative – Parent to Parent.

This wonderful service matches mentor families with new families to provide comfort, connection and an outlet, as well as providing positive steps to help the new family. The program is structured to provide ongoing support in those first few months and continues during the first year. Close to 20 of our families have benefited from the program, and recently pamphlets were translated into Arabic, in response to the growing multi-cultural needs of a big city.

We are truly grateful to the Deaf Society for coming to the aid of families of newly diagnosed infants at a time when they are at their most vulnerable."

Rosemary Douglas
Head Audiologist
Children's Hospital at Westmead

"The Parent to Parent Support Program is a wonderful initiative of the Deaf Society and I only wish it had existed when my children were first diagnosed! As a mentor it gives me the opportunity to share my experiences of being a parent to two deaf children who have cochlear implants and to show families just beginning the journey that our children are just as happy, challenging and delightful as any other child!

No one can empathise or understand your journey like another parent on the same road. I feel it is also reassuring for newly diagnosed families to meet a family further along the path to see that there is ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ and to meet our two beautiful daughters to see that they are able to talk and are enjoying school, sports, music and generally being fairly typical kids!"

Vicki Cox
Mother to two daughters with profound hearing losses and bilateral cochlear implants

"Recently, my husband and I were lucky enough to participate in training session for the Parent-to-Parent Support Program for deaf and hearing impaired children.

The Deaf Society should be commended for their initiative in providing such a valuable community support service for families in the early days of diagnosis. Often it is a time of great stress in receiving the news of a new born baby having a hearing loss and the Deaf Society has identified the need for support of these families from other parents, who have themselves experienced the highs and lows that the newly-diagnosed families are going through, first hand.

The training day was very thorough and professional. We were guided through many real-life scenarios and by the end of the day, I felt I was really prepared to help and listen to a mentee’s issues.

I really enjoyed meeting all the other people in the training group, we had a lot of fun, but worked hard at the same time.

I am looking forward to helping other families in the same situation as mine.  Having gone through so much, I hope, like the other mentors, that I have a lot of experience to offer other families, and I am very pleased that the Deaf Society has acknowledged the value of that experience."

Fiona Fairlie
Mother of profoundly deaf son

"I thank Deaf Society to have Sign 'n' Tots service once a month as I can able to communicate with other parents for any reasons chat, advice, and for my kids who is hearing can able to learn about Deaf culture as well as mixed with Deaf and CODA children. Each month have different new program for children’s activities. My kids so proud to take their work crafts home to show his daddy. There is crafts, activities, playground, stories time for the children. I would recommend parents to bring their kids along."

Karen Grech
Deaf mother

"As a mother of three I have found Sign 'n' Tots to be a wonderful and worthwhile experience. Both myself and my children look forward to attending each month! The activities for the children are fantastic with good variations each month and my boys always love the bubble machine and story time at the end of the session! The staff are always very friendly, helpful and understanding. They are brilliant with the children, keeping them busy while us mums can relax for half an hour to have a chat and a cuppa! They also provide valuable information and resources about what's happening in the deaf community.

What i like best about Sign 'n' Tots is broadening my childrens exposure to both coda and deaf children and adults. They get the best of both worlds! I also enjoy meeting other mothers and sharing stories about our children and giving eachother tips!

Naomi Hayman
Deaf mother of three pre-school children - Austin, Riley & Cooper