On Tuesday 21st January, Members of Parliament (MPs) debated the provision of Auditory Verbal therapy as deaf children continue to face inequality of access to the evidence–based therapy which supports deaf children to listen and speak and have the same opportunities as their hearing peers.

The debate, led by Sharon Hodgson Washington and Gateshead South MP, highlighted how Auditory Verbal therapy helps deaf children process the sound they receive from hearing technology, like hearing aids and cochlear implants, and supports them to develop spoken language so they can learn to talk like their hearing peers. 

National and international research shows more than 80% of deaf children who spend at least two years on an Auditory Verbal therapy programme achieve age-appropriate spoken language, and it is widely available in other countries like Australia and Denmark. But only around 10% of deaf children in the UK who could benefit from Auditory Verbal therapy can currently access it.

Ms Hodgson said: “Today we have the opportunity to change the fate of deaf children in this country. They deserve the same opportunities and outcomes as their hearing peers. These children are the future and we must invest in them. Not only because it the right thing to do morally but because any financial investment will come back in economic returns in abundance but mainly we should invest in them because our children deserve it.”

Ms Hodgson was joined in Westminster by deaf 13-year old Sam Callaghan and his family who she met in October last year at an event organised by charity Auditory Verbal UK (AVUK) to challenge perceptions of what deaf children can achieve with early and effective support.

Ms Hodgson added: “With the help of Auditory Verbal therapy (Sam) learned to listen and talk just like his hearing peers. Now Sam can speak and do anything he puts his mind to and he is doing really well at school. For children like Sam Auditory Verbal therapy has been life changing and he’s living proof that when deaf children and their families have access to early and effective support to develop language and communication, opportunities are transformed.” 

Joanna and Andy, Sam’s parents, who were also in public gallery in Parliament today said: “It is no exaggeration to say that Auditory Verbal therapy changed our lives. We can’t even bear to imagine where we would be if we hadn’t had this support and I very much doubt that Sam would be at mainstream school dreaming of space. But we know how lucky we were to access this therapy programme and it shouldn’t be the luck of the drawer or where you live. 

“We just hope that by MPs debating the provision of Auditory Verbal therapy today will help the government understand how urgent and vital this investment is.”

Sam’s parents found out about Auditory Verbal therapy from a friend, but with no access to the support and trained Auditory Verbal Therapists via public services locally, they travelled weekly to Oxfordshire from Eastbourne so they could access the evidence-based, early intervention approach at charity Auditory Verbal UK. By the time Sam started school, he had age-appropriate spoken language skills. Sam is now excelling in school and loves learning about space and elements and wants to be an astrophysicist when he is older.  

Due to a lack Auditory Verbal Therapists within the NHS and Local Authority services, more than 90% of deaf children who could benefit from an Auditory Verbal therapy programme cannot access it. There are only 33 qualified Auditory Verbal therapists in the UK currently and it is estimated that there needs to be around 300 speech and language therapists, teachers of the deaf and audiologists trained in the approach to ensure all deaf children have the opportunity to access an Auditory Verbal therapy programme via existing local services close to their home. 

MPs from across the political parties today joined AVUKs calls on the Government to #HearUsNow and commit the necessary investment to train a small proportion of the current public sector workforce of speech and language therapists, audiologists and teachers of the deaf to equip them with the additional skills in this approach. 

AVUK Chief Executive Anita Grover who also attended today’s debate, explained: “In the UK we have one of the best newborn hearing screening programmes and deaf babies and children have access to state-of-the-art hearing technology but this is not enough to prevent deaf children from falling behind their hearing peers. 

“Early and effective support is vital whether families wish to use spoken language, sign language or both. We want to enable all families who wish their child to develop spoken language to have the opportunity to access an Auditory Verbal programme through publicly funded services. To do that we need to urgently expand the number of specialist Auditory Verbal therapists working in the NHS and local services.”

Economic analysis carried out for AVUK, based on the HM Treasury guidelines, shows that with an investment of just over £2 million per year for the next 10 years for training a proportion of the existing public sector workforce, while supporting some of the most vulnerable children direct, could deliver £152 million of economic benefit to the UK, rising to £11.7 billion over 50 years. 

During the debate Bury North MP James Frith said: “This is preventative healthcare at its best - cost effective, compassionate, life changing. If the heart of the argument doesn’t move us, the head can. This is economic growth, a sound investment in their future and ours. This cause isn’t just transformation for the economy – for £2million annually – a fraction, a rounding error of the NHS budget – we could ensure that thousands of deaf children can access Auditory Verbal therapy.”

Mr Frith added: “Without early intervention the costs are far greater; delayed support leads to unfulfilled promise or potential, high unemployment, mental health challenges and the long-time reliance on public services. When all deaf children thrive our society is stronger, more inclusive and more prosperous.”

Dr Luke Evans, shadow health minister, called on the government to address the postcode lottery of Auditory Verbal Therapists and the need for national guidance to help improve the provision. Thanks to fundraising efforts, AVUK has begun training speech and language therapists, teachers or the deaf and audiologists across the UK. But urgent investment is needed now to ensure families can access this support wherever they live. 

Government health minister, Stephen Kinnock MP, agreed to meet with AVUK, alongside 13-year-old Sam and his parents – who attended the debate - to discuss further how the Government can increase access to Auditory Verbal therapy and ensure no family misses out on support based on where they live.

Pledge your support for the Hear Us Now campaign now: https://www.avuk.org/pledge-your-support-for-our-hearusnow-campaign