SignHealth Domestic Abuse Service (also known as DeafHope)
Worried about a child?
If you have immediate concerns about the safety of a child you should get in contact straight away, using the numbers below:
020 7641 4000 (9am to 5pm weekdays) Access to Children's Services Team
or
020 7641 2388 (outside of these times) - Emergency Duty Team
SignHealth Domestic Abuse Service (also known as DeafHope)
SignHealth Domestic Abuse Service (formally known as DeafHope) is the UK’s Lead sign-language based service to help Deaf people who suffer from domestic abuse. When sign language is the main way you communicate, it can be very hard to get help. We communicate with our clients in British Sign Language or offer interpreters for those who can’t sign to offer support and advice and to find refuges and emergency accommodation for them if needed.
Our staff are trained in International sign and are experienced in communicating with Deaf clients who are from overseas where neither English or BSL is their first language or a language they know very well.
We support all genders and sexualities. (our material will be updated shortly to reflect this).
We offer support and advice through our IDVAs, YPVA, Children and Families Workers and through signposting. The service provides face to face support in London and Kent; remote 1:1 support for the rest of England.
We will shortly be updating our leaflets and posters to reflect the changes of our services to also cater to men – so not only Deaf women and children but now all Deaf people. I will be in contact when we have achieved this.
We receive funding to cover all of London, Kent and Sussex
Availability
Referral required
Yes
Referral Details
How to make a referral: To make a referral to us you can phone: 02087723241, email: da@signhealth.org.uk or text our SMS only number: 07970350366. I have attached the referral form.
Keeping in contact: DeafHope is now on Twitter & Facebook. For quicker updates and more information, please follow us: Twitter: @deafhopeuk Facebook: www.facebook.com/deafhopeuk
Other notes
Our Young DeafHope team have been extremely busy this quarter and have been active in schools such as Heathlands, Blanche Nevile and Oaklodge – Deaf schools in the UK. But we have also maintained our links with schools such as Mary Hare, with students who come from London and Thomas Tallis that have a Deaf department. With a limited number of schools that cater specifically to Deaf students or schools that have a Hearing Impaired Unit, you find that students from London and farther places are travelling to schools outside of London, miles away from home either daily or that the schools are residential. Students then have full access to the school curriculum. We therefore market to schools in and out of London keeping this in mind. As part of our prevention work, our Young DeafHope team deliver workshops to young Deaf individuals on varying topics such as:
Our popular 6 –weeks Healthy Relationships: which includes sex education, consent, relationships, types of abuse, cyber bullying etc. This can be specially catered if schools believe that certain topics needs more focus over others.
Anti-bullying
Forced Marriage & Honour Based Violence – we have a good relationship with the Foreign Office: Forced Marriage Department with up to date information. We also have regular training with ethnic charity’s such as the Women’s Ethnic Resource Centre regarding FGM and HBV practices.
FGM
Sexting/Cyber Bullying
Sexual Consent
Deaf Identify and Self Esteem – our NEW workshop. Schools were identifying that students were suffering from low self-esteem and had a lack of identity within the Deaf Community. This was often seen from students born in hearing families that had not come to terms with their deafness and not aware of the wider Deaf community and culture that is present. This is also beneficial for Deaf students who are very involved in the Deaf Community but still lack the knowledge of Deaf heritage and culture. This workshop tries to nourish that self-pride and care for one’s self. We have been receiving great interest in this workshop and the feedback so far from students has been promising.
Survivor Workshops DeafHope runs a similar programme to the Freedom Programme called Survivor Workshops. It is a 7 week programme which is a small group of Deaf survivors. We presently have a workshop planned to start in September. The course lasts 7 weeks with an art therapy session where the course aims to build confidence, meet other Deaf survivors who have gone through similar experiences, and to learn to be a stronger and become a more independent individual.
Have a look see: Here is the BSL video that was created in the last quarter about Clare's Law. We are also in the production of creating a BSL video about coercion which should give a fuller explanation of what it is and what signs to look for. Such video allow for greater understanding and full access to information. Please follow the link to our website to view the video: https://www.signhealth.org.uk/our-projects/deafhope-projects/deafhope-service/clares-law/ Enjoy!
`