School of Education’s Helen Niemiec speaks out on Deaf Education in radio interview
Helen Niemiec, Lecturer in Deaf Education at the University of Leeds, has recently taken part in a radio interview highlighting the key issues facing deaf children, families and educators.
For many deaf people, everyday communication still relies heavily on hearing family members acting as interpreters. While this can sometimes be helpful, it often raises serious concerns about privacy, dignity and independence, especially in sensitive settings such as healthcare.
Helen, who specialises in Deaf Education and research, explains that family interpreting can offer emotional support where relatives understand the situation and want to help. However, this arrangement can also place deaf individuals in difficult positions. “There are probably things that people may not want to fully discuss in front of a family member,” she notes. Medical discussions, personal issues, or confidential information can quickly become uncomfortable or inappropriate when a neutral, professional interpreter is not present.
Another major concern is accuracy. Interpreting is a skilled profession, and not all family members have the required level of sign language fluency to communicate complex or technical information safely. When interpretation is incorrect, the consequences, particularly in medical contexts, can be serious.
Hidden gaps in Deaf Education
Many people are unaware of how varied and fragile Deaf Education provision is today. While approaches often assume a one-size-fits-all system, Helen highlights that Deaf Education is highly individual, with requirements differing significantly from one child to another.
Currently, around 78% of deaf children are educated in mainstream schools and unfortunately educational outcomes remain unequal. In the early years, only 42% of deaf children reach a good level of development, compared with 68% of hearing children. Similar attainment gaps persist at GCSE level.
At the same time, the number of staff who are trained to support deaf learners is shrinking. The number of Qualified Teachers of the Deaf has fallen by 24% between 2011 and 2025, placing additional pressure on schools and families alike. This decline risks widening educational inequalities, particularly for children who need specialist input to access learning on an equal footing.
The importance of early language access
Helen emphasises the critical importance of early exposure to a language rich environment, including the use of sign language. Research consistently shows that language access of any kind is essential for cognitive development. Sign languages are complete, rich languages, and early access supports not only communication but also emotional, social and intellectual growth.
When parents are learning sign language alongside their child, even at the most basic level, the benefits are significant. This shared learning journey supports bonding and helps ensure that deaf children are not delayed in their language development during key developmental windows.
What can individuals and organisations do?
Improving inclusion does not rest solely with deaf people. As Helen puts it plainly: “It’s not the deaf person that’s the problem because they can communicate, it’s us, it’s the hearing people. We probably don’t sign.”
A first step is deaf awareness. Deaf role models play a vital role in challenging misconceptions and showing what is possible when communication barriers are removed. At Leeds, many of the students who train to be qualified Teachers of the Deaf are deaf themselves. On a practical level, Helen encourages people to ask deaf individuals directly how they prefer to communicate, and how they want others to communicate with them.
Simple actions can make a difference: facing the person when speaking, using gestures, repeating information when needed, and making use of speech-to-text apps. Most importantly, listening, really listening, to what deaf people say they need.
Communication access is not about charity or convenience; it is about respect. By adjusting our approaches and expectations, we move closer to a society where deaf people’s dignity, independence and experiences are fully recognised.
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