About
What is Irish Deaf Kids?
Irish Deaf Kids (IDK) is a for-impact venture aimed at supporting inclusive mainstream education for deaf children in Ireland. IDK is a company limited by guarantee (CRO 462323) with charitable status (CHY 18589).
For parents, educators/teachers, deaf people and others, irishdeafkids.ie is an online web-based resource for guidance and discussion on best practice.
Its online forum offers a place to ask questions, share information and talk with parents & educators of deaf children, or with deaf people themselves.
If you are involved with, or interested in mainstream education for deaf children in Ireland, then this website is for you.
Why Now?
Over 2,000 deaf children currently attend mainstream schools in Ireland in a reversal of previous policy.
Parents and teachers have to take more responsibility for the childrens’ education, and need a way to network, share ideas or ask questions.
Early intervention and language acquisition are crucial for a deaf child’s mainstream education but parents & teachers lack critical reference points.
Every deaf child is unique, with different needs, so individual education plans with adequate supports must be properly used for their schooling.
Informed Choices
If parents of deaf children have all the information to make life choices on behalf of their child, the right decisions are more likely to be made.
Technology (hearing-aids and cochlear implants for example) is a huge factor in intervention and it’s the parents’ choice if these are to be used.
Key Facts:
* Two infants per week are born deaf in Ireland
* 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents
* 90% of deaf children currently attend mainstream schools in Ireland
* Deafness does not affect a person’s intellectual capacity or ability to learn
* In 2008, over 2,000 deaf children are in mainstream education in Ireland
* Deaf children can be mainstream educated if the right support is provided
* Early intervention and language acquisition are crucial if a deaf child is to be mainstream educated
* Deaf children can, with the right support, live full, healthy, happy and normal lives
* Every deaf child is unique, with different needs
* Deaf education has moved into the mainstream in Ireland, and the children must receive adequate support