The National Deaf Children’s Society has published their report, Early Intervention, Lifelong Impact: A Call to Redesign Children’s Hearing Services in England, which sets out vital recommendations to improve paediatric audiology services.
Key findings in the report
The new report builds on the findings of the independent Kingdon Review, chaired by Dr Camilla Kingdon and published in November 2025. The Kingdon Review found that more than 300 children had already come to harm because of delayed or missed identification of deafness; and as the review and recall programme concludes over the next few months, we know that this reported number will increase. Significant pressures within children’s hearing services remain, which is deeply concerning. The NDCS report highlights that:
- Almost 50,000 children were overdue for audiology appointments in March 2025.
- Routine follow-up appointments can be delayed by as much as 547 days.
- Some families report waits of up to three years for appointments.
Long waits, workforce shortages and fragmented services are preventing some children from accessing support at crucial stages of their development, putting them at risk of further harm. The time for action is now.
Recommendations for systemic change
NDCS are calling on the Government to;
- Redesign the care pathway, creating a more joined-up journey from hearing screening through to identification, support and ongoing care, so children and families do not fall through gaps in the system.
- Strengthen early identification by creating more opportunities to identify hearing loss earlier, so children can access support at the earliest possible stage, when it can make the biggest difference.
- Embed family-centred care and support by putting children and families at the heart of services, ensuring parents are listened to, supported and involved in decisions about their child’s care.
- Establish consistent standards and accountability to ensure that families receive high-quality care wherever they live, with stronger oversight to identify and address problems earlier.
- Improve data and performance measurement; develop better data to identify issues more quickly, understand what is working well and improve outcomes for children and families.
- Commit to sustained national leadership and funding. This is the only way lasting reform can be delivered to bring around much needed change for deaf children and their families.
The NDCS believe that with leadership, investment and accountability, the government can build a high-quality and equitable service that ensures every deaf child receives the support they need at the earliest opportunity.
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