Supporting Deaf people in adult social care

As a registered social worker who is Deaf, my lived experience offers an insight into the challenges faced by Deaf people who draw on care and support and hearing colleagues. This experience is particularly relevant in relation to communication, cultural understanding, and the process of completing assessments.

In adult social care, we are expected to interact with and support a wide variety of individuals. But it is unrealistic to expect every social care professional to have experience or detailed knowledge of all the different groups of people we encounter.

The social care assessment process encourages us to adopt a strengths-based approach. Additionally, the Care Act 2014 requires us to be outcomes-focused and attentive to the wellbeing of each individual. To fulfil these responsibilities when working with Deaf people, some background knowledge is essential.

To empower my social work colleagues with strategies to effectively support Deaf individuals, I created an open access guide. My aim is for this resource to equip staff with the essential knowledge required to assess Deaf people and provide the support they need to reach their personal objectives.

The guide focuses on completing assessments and reviews with Deaf adults. It includes a case study and links to helpful resources to further develop knowledge in this area of work. It also includes links to services that provide useful information and support for Deaf people.

Identifying underlying challenges

There are around 12 million people in the UK who are Deaf or hard of hearing. Of these, 151,000 use British Sign Language (BSL) as their first or native language. 

Research has found that Deaf people are far more likely to experience poor mental health compared to the general population. Contributing factors include social isolation, communication barriers, and a lack of access to appropriate mental health services. It’s therefore important that social care professionals are able to build the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to provide effective support.

There are many classifications for different levels of hearing loss. My focus is specifically on adults who have been severely hard of hearing or profoundly Deaf since birth or early childhood. Early onset hearing loss can have a profound effect on language development, literacy, and social skills. Most of these individuals use BSL as their first language and often identify as ‘Deaf’ with a capital ‘D’ to signify their cultural identity. While some may use alternative communication methods, all share similar communication and social care needs.

Sign language, communication and identity

The use of sign language in British history has been documented for centuries. The first public institution for Deaf children in the UK opened in London in 1792. From 1792 until 1880, Deaf education in the UK primarily used sign language as the main method of instruction.

However, during the 19th century, it became increasingly popular to teach Deaf children to speak, and ‘oral education’ began to take precedence. This trend culminated at the Second International Congress on Education of the Deaf in Milan in 1880, where it was decided to adopt oralism as the standard and to ban sign language from classrooms. 

This policy took hold in the UK, profoundly altering Deaf education until BSL officially became part of the education provision for Deaf pupils in the early 1990s. Only in 2010 did the international community formally apologise for this. The ban on sign language was considered an act of discrimination and a violation of the human and constitutional rights of Deaf people.

Many Deaf children in the UK struggled to develop essential communication skills, including reading and writing. Government reports from the 1970s indicate that Deaf children often left school at age 16 with a reading age below ten. In 1978, the Warnock Report (produced by a Special Education Needs Committee) recommended the closure of many Deaf schools, advocating instead for inclusive education in mainstream schools for most children with disabilities. Only those with complex, long-term needs were allowed to attend special schools. However, inclusion in mainstream schools often led to isolation and delayed development for many Deaf children. Even today, young Deaf people are three times more likely to experience mental health issues compared to the national average.

The importance of accessibility 

Accessing information or searching the internet is also more difficult, as much of the available content is not presented in accessible formats for Deaf people. This challenge extends to the information we provide to people who draw on care and support, families, and carers.

Imagine trying to learn all your basic knowledge through a second language that you do not fully understand. This can have an impact on daily life, for example, when:

• Opening bank accounts, negotiating mortgages, or accessing other financial services.
• Understanding tenancy agreements.
• Comprehending, questioning, or paying utility bills.
• Engaging in any form of written communication.

Every Deaf person is different and has their own communication preferences. It’s important for social care professionals to identify the person’s preferred means of communication to ensure they receive the care and support they need.  

For more information about using the guide or to discuss how to further support Deaf people in adult social care, please get in touch.