Help us create the only dedicated centre for deafblind children in North London. Children, like Kiera, who are both deaf and blind, need specialist help so that they can learn and enjoy their world. With the right support they can do amazing things.

About the children

Deafblind children have a range of abilities. Some will have a bit of sight or hearing while others may have additional medical conditions or disabilities. To us every child is different and we work with them and their family to identify what they can do.

The first few years of life are essential for a child’s development. They learn by copying what they see and hear but deafblind children cannot do that. If they are to communicate and understand their world they need very specialist support.

About the new centre

We’ve been using a nearby deafblind adult centre to run things like a weekly pre-school group but there is so much we can’t do there. The new centre is going to make a huge difference to the children and their families.

We want to convert a five bedroom flat in Barnet into a deafblind children’s centre.

The flat is one of four which have been set up for deafblind adults so it already has some of the things that we need to create the perfect children’s centre such as wide doorways and corridors for children who are in wheelchairs and access to a sensory garden.

It is going to cost £200,000 to convert the flat and get the centre up and running. Having a centre just for children will make a huge difference.

Kiera

“The devastation and isolation you feel as a parent when you’re told your child will not see you or hear you is very hard to convey. There is a grief and a loneliness which settles in and is difficult to shake off in those early days. For me that’s what meeting the consultant teachers at Sense did - they helped us begin to shake off the loneliness. They made us feel less isolated by their positive attitude about the things Kiera could do and not just focusing on what she couldn’t do. They gave us hope and how wonderful it felt to talk to people who really understood what we were saying.”

Ashling, Kiera's mum

Kiera, who is nine now, was born profoundly deaf and with severely limited vision. With help from Sense she began to enjoy new activities and connect with the family who love her so much.

Three years ago Kiera had a major setback. She suffered a detached retina and lost the limited vision she’d had. 

As you can imagine, this hit Kiera hard. She’s a lovely little girl who had been very sociable, but after losing her vision she’d often become distressed around other people, which meant Ashling could no longer bring her to activities at the adult deafblind centre because it’s just too busy.

Ashling says “There are so few places for children like Kiera, which is why a new centre will be wonderful. It will give her a whole new range of experiences and add so much to her life.”

If you would like to make a significant donation please contact our Special Relationships team who would be delighted to talk to you about our Special Friends scheme. Email them at specialrelationships@sense.org.uk or telephone 020 7520 0981.