Local MP Meets Making Deaf Children’s Lives Easier

A local MP was delighted to find out more about a charity helping Deaf children across North East Wales.

Mark Tami, MP for Alyn and Deeside, met Zeta Lloyd, Wish Granting Champion for Chloe and Sophie’s Special Ears Fund (CSSEF). CSSEF was founded 10 years ago in Surrey by Karen Jackson, mum to Deaf daughters Chloe and Sophie. Two years ago, The Neumark Foundation began funding the project in Flintshire, Wrexham and Denbighshire, and now supports 269 Deaf children and their families across the three counties. 

CSSEF supports Deaf children in schools, in homes and out and about by providing equipment, training and activities to make their lives easier and brighter. 

At school, the charity supplies British Sign Language (BSL) books and books with deaf characters and holds Deaf Awareness Assemblies to promote awareness and inclusion for Deaf children. It also provides advice and equipment for schools, such as considering acoustics, providing visual noise indicators, giving teachers Deaf awareness training and so on. CSSEF also works with Fletch, who works signing song lyrics at gigs, and who provides fun workshops in schools. Each school with a child or children with hearing aids enrolled there will also get a hearing aid kit bag with spare batteries, battery checker and cleaning equipment. 

In the home, the charity can provide children with cycling helmets that are cut a little higher to fit over hearing aids and cochlear implants. Aqua covers are available to make cochlear implants waterproof for swimming. Nightlights are given out, as many Deaf children are scared of the dark because it is so quiet for them. There is also a vibrating alarm for under their pillow. CSSEF also funds toys so that children can see themselves represented, such as dolls and bears with hearing aids and cochlear implants. 

The charity also works with North Wales Fire and Rescue Service to provide vibrating and flashing smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.

CSSEF also fund BSL courses for parents and families of Deaf children face to face and online.

In school holidays the charity organises fun family events including at Flipout, Plas Madoc, and a horse sanctuary. There are 58 families attending the events, who can get advice and support from other families in similar situations.  

Mark Tami said:

“It was fascinating to meet Zeta and discover the myriad ways that CSSEF is helping Deaf children and their families in the area,”

“We also talked about some of the issues faced by Deaf children and young people and their loved ones. I’ll be doing my best to help CSSEF by signposting to funding, raising awareness and trying to change policy where appropriate, such as Government funding of BSL courses for parents.” 

Pictured - Mark Tami MP with Zeta Lloyd, CSSEF Wish Granting Champion.