The British Deaf Association (BDA) welcomes the publication of the Camilla Kingdon Review of Children’s Hearing Services and acknowledges the findings which confirm what Deaf children, their families, and our members have long told us: audiology services across England are failing to meet basic standards of access, equity and early intervention.
Read the Review on the British Academy of Audiology website.
Our Response
The Review highlights missed diagnoses, inconsistent service quality, and a lack of national oversight. These systemic failings are deeply concerning; they are not new.
For years, the BDA has heard directly from parents who felt abandoned and from Deaf adults who carry the consequences of late or inadequate support in childhood.
In March 2024, in response to these repeated concerns, the BDA launched BSL in Our Hands; a campaign calling for British Sign Language (BSL) to be offered as a statutory option from day one to every Deaf child and their family.
BSL is a fully accessible, natural language. It is not an afterthought, an "alternative", or a gamble. The future of a Deaf child’s language and identity should never depend on luck, location or professional bias.
BDA’s Key Calls to Action
- Statutory BSL Provision
BSL must be a guaranteed language and communication pathway for every Deaf child and their family from the moment of diagnosis.
The Department of Health & Social Care, NHS England and Integrated Care Boards must end the postcode lottery and embed BSL access as a right, not a privilege. - Early and Accessible Intervention
Services must prioritise early language access, not only audiology tests and devices.
Every family must be offered free access to qualified BSL teachers and Deaf role models at the earliest opportunity. - Deaf-Led Oversight and Accountability
The Government must ensure Deaf representation in all decision-making about children’s hearing and language development.
Success must be measured not just by hearing thresholds, but by communication outcomes, wellbeing and inclusion. - Workforce Reform and Deaf Awareness
Audiologists, health visitors and paediatric professionals must receive mandatory Deaf awareness and BSL training.
Deaf professionals should be integral to the design and delivery of children’s services.
Quote from Rebecca Mansell, Chief Executive Officer, British Deaf Association
"For too long, families have been left to navigate a broken system that prioritises technology over communication. The Kingdon Review has confirmed what the Deaf community has known for years; that our children’s futures are being shaped by inequality and delay.
Every Deaf child deserves full access to language from day one. British Sign Language is not a last resort; it is the foundation of a Deaf child’s learning, confidence, and identity. The BDA stands ready to work with government and health leaders to turn these findings into urgent action; because no child should ever have to fight for the right to communicate."
Ends.
For media enquiries
British Deaf Association
media@bda.org.uk
