Deafkidz International

No Deaf child should be left behindOur Vision A world where Deaf, hard of hearing, deafened and DeafBlind children, young people and adults are able to live safely and without fear of abuse and exploitation. Our Mission With safeguarding at the heart of all we do, DeafKidz International aims to respond comprehensively to the protection, health, wellbeing and access to education needs of deaf children, young people and adults worldwide. Why our work is needed Deafness is the third largest disability globally with 466 million deaf people worldwide yet it remains the least resourced. The abuse and exploitation of deaf children is endemic, with deaf children three times more likely to be abused than hearing children, but safeguarding and protection networks lack the means to support deaf survivors/victims of abuse and deaf children at risk. Deaf children face barriers to accessing services and support from teachers, social workers, police workers, medical staff and the justice system, often due to the lack of deaf awareness and resources available to these professionals who are unable to effectively communicate with or support the needs of deaf children. In low-middle income countries often children are not even diagnosed as being deaf which exacerbates risk of abuse and prevents them from accessing vital support they need. DeafKidz International seeks to address the vital gaps in meeting the safeguarding and protection needs of deaf children and reducing risk and vulnerability while supporting deaf children, young people and adults to lead their fullest lives ensuring equal and rightful access to health, education and employment as their hearing peers.