Auditory Verbal UK

20/11/2025

Good luck to Thomas Harvey as he competes in the Deaflympics this week! 🏊 Diagnosed with severe to profound hearing loss as a baby, Thomas learned to listen and speak through Auditory Verbal therapy. His determination has taken him from early swimming lessons to representing GB at the Deaflympics. Good luck to everyone representing Team GB at the Deaflympics! Go make waves, Thomas!👏
Read Thomas’ story: https://www.avuk.org/thomas-story

19/11/2025

💬 “The course provides a path to navigate the bewildering journey of parenting and makes it more fun and enjoyable.”

Join our free Nurturing Programme – a 10-week online course for parents and carers of deaf children aged 2–5, delivered in partnership with National Deaf Children's Society and The Centre for Emotional Health.

🧠 Learn strategies to support emotional wellbeing
🧡 Build stronger family connections
💻 Join from anywhere – sessions every Tuesday, 10am–12noon from 13 Jan 2026
📣 100% of parents who have previously participated recommend it!

🔗 Book your free place: https://www.avuk.org/Event/the-nurturing-programme-2026

18/11/2025

We’re thrilled to announce the finalists for the Claire Campbell Outstanding Achievement Awards 2025! 🌟 These awards celebrate deaf children, young people, and adults who go above and beyond to challenge perceptions and show what’s possible with the right support. Launched in memory of Claire Campbell, they honour her incredible legacy of advocating for deaf children to have the same opportunities as their hearing peers. There was an amazing standard of entries this year and it was really tough to draw up a shortlist, but huge well done to everyone who was nominated and congratulations to all the finalists – your achievements inspire us all! 👏
Read more about the finalists and everyone nominated here: https://www.avuk.org/News/finalists-announced-for-the-claire-campbell-outstanding-achievement-awards-2025

15/11/2025

Good luck to Charlie Denton who is competing in the Deaflympics this week! 🎾
Charlie, who was born deaf, learnt to listen and speak through Auditory Verbal therapy when he was younger. He was supported to how to make sense of the sound he receives through his cochlear implants and develop spoken language.
His passion for tennis has taken him from winning five consecutive junior singles titles at the National Deaf Tennis Championships to playing at Wimbledon and now representing GB at the Deaflympics.
Good luck to everyone representing Team GB at the Deaflympics!
Go smash it, Charlie! 👏
Read Charlie’s story: https://www.avuk.org/charlies-story
[Charlie is pictured on the left.]

13/11/2025

Great to see Thomas, and Charlie on BBC Breakfast this morning! Both are deaf and learned to listen and speak with Auditory Verbal therapy when they were younger on our family programme. They’re now representing GB in the Deaflympics alongside many more fantastic athletes – challenging misconceptions about what deaf children can achieve and showcasing the diversity of deafness. Good luck to you both and everyone who is competing! 👏🇬🇧
Watch now: https://youtu.be/Pr5LZFh7b-M?si=48qxa-cldVe0XkWw

Deaflympians discuss the upcoming Games in Tokyo

12/11/2025

Janine Roebuck, the world’s only profoundly deaf opera singer and our wonderful patron, shared why it was great to be part of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Deafness event in UK Parliament last week. Janine and so many other inspiring deaf people are challenging perceptions of what deaf adults and children can do and achieve all day, every day!

11/11/2025

✨ Stay in the loop with all things AVUK!
Sign up to our mailing list for inspiring stories, expert insights, upcoming events, and ways you can support deaf children to learn to listen and speak. 💬👂
📩 Don’t miss out – join our community today: https://www.avuk.org/forms/mailing-list-sign-up

11/11/2025

"This is a watershed moment." Yesterday the Department of Health and Social Care - DHSC published the Kingdon Review into children’s hearing services. We welcome the publication of the review and the recommendations which have been put forward.

Anita Grover, our Chief Executive, said: “This is a watershed moment, not only for paediatric audiology but also the future of early support and services for deaf children, which are vital in enabling them to have the same opportunities in life as their hearing peers.

“The Government must now implement these recommendations swiftly to ensure there is no repeat of the issues with paediatric audiology which have put at risk the futures of so many deaf children. It is absolutely vital that deafness is identified early to maximise the critical early years. We stand ready to work alongside Government to ensure all deaf children can thrive.

“We are pleased to see recommendations on investing in services and the workforce, changing how services are delivered, and improving monitoring and reporting on outcomes. Reporting outcomes is key to understanding what children are currently achieving and whether they are reaching the potential that research shows is possible with early and effective support for language and communication. It also helps identify where improvements are needed to ensure every child can thrive.

“All deaf children have the right to develop language and communication to reach their potential. Alongside high-quality audiology, access to skilled early support is vital to ensure deaf children start school alongside their hearing peers with the language and communication skills needed, whether their families wish to use spoken language, sign language, or both.

“But access to this vital early support – including Auditory Verbal therapy for those families who wish to use spoken language and BSL classes for those families who want to use sign language – remains a postcode lottery across the UK.

“We know that with early diagnosis and effective support, deaf children can thrive. We hope by taking on the recommendations in this review, it will mark a meaningful step toward making the UK a global leader in ensuring deaf children reach their full potential.”

Read our full statement:

“The publication of the Kingdon Review into children’s hearing services marks a watershed moment for paediatric audiology and early support for deaf children to be able to achieve their potential in life.”   Today (Monday 10th November 2025) the Department of Health and Social...

07/11/2025

It was great to be in UK Parliament for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Deafness event, proudly celebrating deaf success. It’s an honour to be part of this important event alongside RNID, National Deaf Children's Society, Convo UK, The Deaf Health Charity SignHealth and Tasha Ghouri - all challenging misconceptions of what deaf people can do and achieve; celebrating the diversity of deafness, and how we can work together to ensure all deaf children and adults can thrive.

05/11/2025

🎉 What an incredible evening in Parliament celebrating deaf achievements!

We were honoured to welcome inspiring deaf role models who have achieved so much across sport, culture, media and business to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Deafness event last night. Guests included model, dancer and proud cochlear implant user Tasha Ghouri as well tennis player Charlie Denton, who is heading to Tokyo with the GB Deaflympics team next week, and Janine Roebuck - the world’s only profoundly deaf opera singer.

Kindly hosted by Catherine Atkinson MP, and supported by RNID, National Deaf Children's Society, Convo UK, The Deaf Health Charity SignHealth and us at AVUK, the event spotlighted how together we can champion change and improve services and support to ensure all deaf people across the UK can thrive. And we were thrilled the Minister for Disability, Stephen Timms MP and so many MPs and Peers joined us to learn more about lived experiences and the diversity of deafness.

Thank you to all who attended. Together, we’re challenging perceptions and misconceptions of what deaf people can do and achieve ❤️

04/11/2025

🏃‍♀️ Run for deaf children at the London Landmarks Half Marathon 2026!
Every mile you run helps more deaf children learn to listen and speak with Auditory Verbal therapy.
Join Team AVUK and take in London’s most iconic sights, from Big Ben to St Paul’s, all while making a life-changing difference for deaf children across the UK.
💙 We’ll support you every step of the way with fundraising tips, training guidance and your own AVUK running t-shirt!
👉 Sign up today: https://www.avuk.org/Event/london-landmarks-half-marathon-2026

Join a team of runners raising money to help give deaf children a sound future by taking part in the legendary London Landmarks Half Marathon 2026. The London Landmarks Half Marathon is a closed road, central London run and is the only half marathon to go through both the Ci...

30/10/2025

Meet Dhyana – AVUK Young Ambassador and future doctor! 💙

Dhyana, who was born profoundly deaf, is now in her fourth year of medical school. She says, “Auditory Verbal therapy supported me to listen and speak and ultimately contributed to helping me achieve high grades in school to gain a place to study medicine.”

She’s assisted in surgery, made her first surgical stitch(!), and is planning an overseas elective. “I’m proud to be studying medicine but I am just as proud that I am not afraid to seek help when I need it.”

Her advice to others: “Ask for the support you need in advance, and be prepared to advocate for yourself, as accessibility is not always a given.”

Read her full story 👉 https://www.avuk.org/News/breaking-barriers-in-medicine-deaf-medical-student-dhyana-on-challenging-misconceptions-and-advice-for-fellow-students