SUPPORTING DEAF CHILDREN
AND THEIR FAMILIES
IN DORSET
Welcome to the Dorset Deaf Children's Society website. We are a registered charity who organise events and activities to enable children and young people with a hearing loss, parents and families to meet each other and share their experiences and also have some fun!
We provide grants and equipment for children with a hearing loss and their families and also provide information to help families make informed choices for their children's education and welfare.
Membership is free for all families with a child or young person with a hearing loss living in Dorset or for supporters of children and young people with a hearing loss and their families living in Dorset.
If you wish to join Dorset Deaf Children's Society
please contact Shirley Sorbie on 01202 571089
or email info@dorsetdcs.co.uk
for a DDCS membership form.​
If you become a member of National Deaf Children's Society that does not make you an automatic member of
Dorset Deaf Children's Society and vice versa.
We have seperate memberships.
To view the DDCS Mission Statement please click on this link:
View the DDCS Constitution - voted in at the 2009 AGM. Click on the link to the right.
In line with The National Deaf Children's Society guidelines the Dorset Deaf Children's Society have adopted their Safeguarding Policy. The policy is based on NDCS guidelines and can be accessed by clicking on the link to the right.
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The person responsible for implementing these guidelines is Katie Bray, Safeguarding Officer
To view the DDCS Privacy Policy please click on this link:
To view the DDCS Equality and Diversity Policy please click on this link:
To view the DDCS Complaints and Feedback Policy please click on this link:
To view the DDCS Social Media Policy please click on this link:
We are associated with the National Deaf Childrens Society.
To view their website use this link - http://www.ndcs.org.uk
DDCS Sign Language Grant
by Sue Bennett
My name is Sue and I am a mum of five. I have three grown up children and two still at home.
My youngest son Tyler at birth experienced difficulties in feeding and at 2 days old we found out why - a cleft palate. The cleft team informed us it may result in glue ear.
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Roll forward to 3 weeks of age and further tests, the diagnosis wasn't glue ear but he was deaf.
At that young age audiology weren't sure to what level. A lovely man (Tony Corcoran) spent many an hour at our home, trying to establish Tyler's level of deafness. The same man put Tyler's case forward for a cochlear implant but all the tests for a cochlear implant revealed that he was too complex a case and our hopes were dashed.
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It was at this point we realised we'd need to learn to sign. Initially we used sign-along and as time progressed we transitioned to BSL. Last year I did my level 1 BSL course and exam with Wiltshire & Dorset Deaf Association (WDDA). The cost was very high, around £450 so I approached Shirley at DDCS for help. Shirley was, as always, a fantastic support.
The DDCS gave me a grant towards the course, without which I would have struggled to pay the fee. So thank you DDCS!
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I'm now learning level 2 BSL. Tyler's signing continues to improve as does mine! Tyler's now 13, a mostly happy boy with a wicked sense of humour. BSL is invaluable to us as Tyler is totally reliant on sign to communicate. So once again thank you DDCS!