About

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The Family Sign at Home project was designed to make learning British Sign Language (BSL) an enjoyable and natural part of life for deaf children and their hearing families.

By diving into BSL early, a strong language foundation works towards boosting cognitive development, self-esteem, family connections, school readiness and cultural identity in deaf children from a young age.

The pilot was launched in Northern Ireland and proved hugely beneficial to the families involved, leading to statutory funding to support the project for the next 10 years. Such was the impact, the pilot was then rolled out across England and Wales.

The goal is to offer parents and caregivers of deaf kids aged 0-5, including their siblings and extended family members, the training, resources, and community connections they need to kickstart their BSL journey at home. 

With 10 exciting early years topics and six weeks of sessions with a dedicated BSL tutor, families were able to choose the topics that matter most to them.

    Led by Deaf BSL tutors, the project provided:

  • Six weeks of personalised sessions, delivered in the family’s home or online

  • A bespoke curriculum focused on everyday early years topics

  • A family-friendly resource pack full of signs, activities and guidance

  • Emotional support and deaf role models, helping families connect beyond vocabulary

The Impact

    In total 51 families took part in the project and the results were transformational:

  • 96%

    of parents said they learnt as much or more than they expected

  • 92%

    saw a direct improvement in their child’s ability to communicate

  • Families reported stronger bonds, reduced stress and improved confidence

    • Whether it was a child lighting up when a parent signed back to them, or a sibling proudly joining in, Family Sign at Home proved that language is more than words — it’s connection, belonging, and love.

Our Vision

We believe every family with a deaf child should have free access to high-quality BSL support from the very beginning. Our goal is to expand this programme nationally, so that no child is left behind simply because of a language barrier.

Together, let's make BSL a natural and joyful part of your family's life!

BSL In Our Hands

In 2024 the British Deaf Association (BDA) launched its ‘BSL In Our Hands’ campaign to highlight the rights of deaf children to access BSL. Having access to quality BSL within the crucial early years window (0-5 years old) supports deaf children’s language development, wellbeing, cognitive development and lifelong outcomes. 

The Family Sign at Home (FSH) project is a foundation of our campaign, offering British Sign Language (BSL) tuition to families with deaf children under 5 years old. This initiative includes six weekly sessions delivered by qualified tutors, offered either at the family home or online.

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