I started Little Crickets deaf childrens group in 2006 soon after my son, Ernie, was diagnosed as being deaf.
I wanted to take my son to a group where he could mix with other deaf kids and have fun. I also wanted to meet other parents of deaf kids and begin to untangle the puzzle of raising a deaf child.
Unfortunately, there wasn't a group in the Shepherds Bush area. So I decided to start one myself.
We started out using the space at a childrens centre and are now based at Randolph Beresford Early Years Centre, Australia Road in Shepherds Bush. We meet there every other Tuesday during term time after school.
Over the years many deaf children, mums, dads and siblings have passed through doors of Little Crickets with loads of help from brilliant volunteers, musicians and performers who come in to do sessions with the kids.
At some point along the way we've all found that valuable piece of advice or reassurance from another parent who has been at the group. This can make all the difference to understanding your child’s deafness and finding the right support for them.
In short, we've found that hanging out for an afternoon and having a coffee and a chat with other deaf families can really help make deafness less intimidating and easier to cope with.
Plus, it's really helped our kids understand their deafness knowing that they're not the only one who wears a hearing aid or implant.
In the autumn of 2014 I decided to get the group charity status and affiliated it to the National Deaf Children's Society.
The group now has 4 trustees (including me, Chrissi) and all our kids have either hearing aids, cochlear implants, cerebral palsy or other sensory conditions.
Being part of a bigger organisation has meant we can get access to grants from the NDCS. It’s meant we’ve been able to organise ‘one off’ events.
As many parents can’t get to the Tuesday after school club the events are a good way for working parents to meet up and stay part of the group.
Over the last couple of years we’ve been to Kidzania, visited a fire station, had a cinema days out and summer picnic parties.
Our group is open to all (we’re a friendly bunch) so look us up, call me and come to the after school club or our next event.
Chrissi Turner.
Phone: 07956 589559
Email: littlecrickets@ndcsgroup.org.uk
I wanted to take my son to a group where he could mix with other deaf kids and have fun. I also wanted to meet other parents of deaf kids and begin to untangle the puzzle of raising a deaf child.
Unfortunately, there wasn't a group in the Shepherds Bush area. So I decided to start one myself.
We started out using the space at a childrens centre and are now based at Randolph Beresford Early Years Centre, Australia Road in Shepherds Bush. We meet there every other Tuesday during term time after school.
Over the years many deaf children, mums, dads and siblings have passed through doors of Little Crickets with loads of help from brilliant volunteers, musicians and performers who come in to do sessions with the kids.
At some point along the way we've all found that valuable piece of advice or reassurance from another parent who has been at the group. This can make all the difference to understanding your child’s deafness and finding the right support for them.
In short, we've found that hanging out for an afternoon and having a coffee and a chat with other deaf families can really help make deafness less intimidating and easier to cope with.
Plus, it's really helped our kids understand their deafness knowing that they're not the only one who wears a hearing aid or implant.
In the autumn of 2014 I decided to get the group charity status and affiliated it to the National Deaf Children's Society.
The group now has 4 trustees (including me, Chrissi) and all our kids have either hearing aids, cochlear implants, cerebral palsy or other sensory conditions.
Being part of a bigger organisation has meant we can get access to grants from the NDCS. It’s meant we’ve been able to organise ‘one off’ events.
As many parents can’t get to the Tuesday after school club the events are a good way for working parents to meet up and stay part of the group.
Over the last couple of years we’ve been to Kidzania, visited a fire station, had a cinema days out and summer picnic parties.
Our group is open to all (we’re a friendly bunch) so look us up, call me and come to the after school club or our next event.
Chrissi Turner.
Phone: 07956 589559
Email: littlecrickets@ndcsgroup.org.uk
