Yesterday we were privileged to be visiting the school of nursing and midwifery at Oxford Brookes University to run an awareness session with student Midwives. We run a specialist maternity service here at Lipspeaker UK. Our Director, Lesley Weatherson, is the only Qualified BSL Interpreter, Lipspeaker, and Midwife in the country. This places us in a unique position to support deaf parents from conception to birth.
It’s always a pleasure to support future generations of midwives to ensure that deaf and deafblind people get the support they need. Students went away with new knowledge, insight, and the tools they need to deliver an accessible service.
Here’s some of the things we covered:
- The diversity of deafness and deafblindness and the importance of knowing that one size does not fit all
- The rights of deaf and deafblind parents in Public Health and the relevant legislation and research
- Understanding the difference between congenital and acquired deafness/hearing loss and appropriate use of contextual language and behavior
- Understanding their role in Public Health accessibility and meeting the recommendations in Stepping Up to Public Health report (Royal College of Midwives)
- Embracing their role as influencers within health institutions and beyond
- The importance of accessible communication not just for deaf mothers in birth but also for deaf fathers/non-birthing partners, particularly in emergency situations
- The role of technology in assisting deaf parents
- Informed consent and safeguarding
The session was finalised with a live Q&A with Emilie, a deaf parent, who shared her experience and insights.
If you want to find out more about our Midwifery service, visit our dedicated webpage or you can contact our friendly team.
