Aussie Deaf Kids

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Brunswick Heads, NSW
Aussie Deaf Kids

Online support and information for families raising a child with a hearing loss.

Aussie Deaf Kids is a not-for-profit organisation providing online information and support to parents raising a child who is deaf or heard of hearing in Australia. Aussie Deaf Kids provides:
• Relevant and meaningful online information on all aspects of raising a deaf or hard of hearing child from diagnosis to the post-school period.
• Online parent-to-parent support groups - a supportive community where families can share information, ideas and life’s ups and downs.

13/04/2026

PODC Workshop - Breaking Through Barriers Workshop

DATE: Wednesday 15th April 2026
TIME: 7:30pm - 9pm (AEST)

Equitable Access in Education: Reports, Access Request Forms and Individual Education Plans

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/breaking-through-barriers

12/04/2026

Happy Auslan day 2026!

To celebrate Auslan Day this year, we’re sharing a fun fingerspelling challenge. It’s a great way to build your receptive fingerspelling skills.

This challenge is hosted on a British Sign Language (BSL) website, but the BSL alphabet is the same as Auslan. It’s also a resource used in the Certificate II in Auslan course at TAFE.

Give it a go:
https://www.signlanguageforum.com/bsl/fingerspelling/fingerspelling-game/

10/04/2026

WEBINAR - Empowering Communication: Navigating the National Relay Service

DATE: Wednesday 20th May 2026
TIME: 7pm - 7:45pm (AEST)

Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your understanding of the NRS and its vital role in aiding communication!

The webinar will be Auslan interpreted and have captioning. There will be a recording provided on our ADK website at a later date if you cannot attend the live session.

Register here:
https://form.typeform.com/to/lpj4oxri

08/04/2026

Finding Service Providers

Parents in our community are often looking for professionals such as speech pathologists, occupational therapists (OTs), early intervention services, paediatricians, or other specialists in their local area.

NDIS Provider Finder:
https://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/working-providers/find-registered-provider/provider-finder
Speech Pathology Australia:
https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/Public/Shared_Content/Smart-Suite/Smart-Maps/Public/Find-a-Speech-Pathologist.aspx
Occupational Therapy Australia:
https://otaus.com.au/find-an-ot
Reimagine Australia - a guide to early childhood supports and services:
https://reimagine.org.au/families/families-where-to-find-help/

06/04/2026

We’re sharing this on behalf of Deafness Forum Australia, who are currently engaging with the NDIA Complex Needs team.

They are seeking input from families of children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH) with complex needs.

Children with “complex needs” may have multiple disabilities or additional diagnoses (such as autism, cerebral palsy, or other developmental conditions) alongside hearing loss, and often require more coordinated or intensive supports.
Deafness Forum is gathering specific examples, questions, and concerns to raise directly with the NDIA.

They are particularly interested in:
• Communication barriers with the NDIA
• Challenges with recognition of the functional impact of hearing loss
• Delays in accessing assistive technology
• Difficulty contacting planners or escalating issues
• Confusion about upcoming planning or assessment changes.

They are also looking for:
• Real examples of barriers families are facing
• Concerns about the new planning framework
• Issues with communication, evidence requests, or planning decisions
• Suggestions to improve NDIA processes for children with hearing loss and complex needs

Please send your feedback directly to Deafness Forum at: hayley.stone@deafnessforum.org.au
Your input will help inform discussions with the NDIA and improve support for families.

04/04/2026

Have a safe and happy Easter from Aussie Deaf Kids!
Feel free to share videos of your kids signing or saying Happy Easter or other Easter signs in the comments!

02/04/2026

Today is International Children’s Book Day
The ICDB theme for 2026 is “Plant stories and the world will bloom!”

Aussie Deaf Kids has a whole website section on literacy which includes the page “Books for families to enjoy”.

You will find book recommendations that feature characters who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH).
Click on the website link:
https://www.aussiedeafkids.org.au/about-communication/literacy/books-for-families-to-enjoy/

01/04/2026

Connecting with other families

From sharing tips, exchanging advice or being a support network to one another, connecting with others going through similar experiences can be invaluable. Parents, carers, children and young people will benefit and feel less isolated when connecting with other families on their journey of childhood deafness. There are many ways to connect, so choose what works for you, whether it be online or in person.

https://www.aussiedeafkids.org.au/adk-groups-for-parents
https://www.podc.org.au/events
https://www.deafchildrenaustralia.org.au/contact/
https://wafdc.org.au/connecting-children-families/
https://deafconnect.org.au/services/therapy-and-family-services
https://www.acd.org.au/connecting-with-other-families/
Revised Conceptual Framework of Parent-to-Parent Support for Parents of Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: A Modified Delphi Study - https://pubs.asha.org/doi/abs/10.1044/2016_AJA-15-0059

30/03/2026

Have you heard of Belongside Families?

Belongside Families is an independent, family-led not-for-profit by families, for families raising children with disability, developmental delay, Autism, rare and genetic conditions.

They provide free programs, so you can feel more confident and supported raising your child, including printed and digital resources, workshops, webinars and meetups.

Check them out:
https://belongsidefamilies.org.au/

27/03/2026

Exploring bimodal bilingualism in Deaf children conference - Sat 21st Nov 2026

25/03/2026

Advocacy in School

Advocacy is acting on behalf of a disadvantaged person to promote, protect and defend their welfare and justice. We are the best advocates for our children as we understand their needs and want the best for them. Advocacy involves speaking on behalf of your child to negotiate for services and supports that meet their needs and is especially important during their school years. Advocacy does not always come naturally, so here are some tips to help you effectively advocate for your child's educational needs.

https://www.aussiedeafkids.org.au/support-services/advocacy/advocating-for-your-child/

https://www.aussiedeafkids.org.au/support-services/advocacy/self-advocacy-skills-for-your-child/

23/03/2026

National Relay Service (NRS) Emergency contact information

The NRS encourages you to print this and put it on your fridge for easy access. Or, if you prefer the magnetic version feel free to contact their helpdesk to obtain a magnet:
Helpdesk phone: 1800 555 660
Helpdesk email: helpdesk@relayservice.com.au

To learn more go to the NRS website:
https://www.accesshub.gov.au/about-the-nrs/how-to-make-an-emergency-call-using-the-nrs

Or, check out our real-life-tip:
https://www.aussiedeafkids.org.au/contacting-emergency-services/

Address

PO Box 231
Brunswick Heads, NSW
2483

Website

http://www.aussiedeafkids.org.au/

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