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National Deaf Children’s Society cautiously welcomes £1.8bn specialist support pledge but says reforms must deliver more Teachers of the Deaf
The National Deaf Children’s Society has cautiously welcomed the Government’s £1.8 billion commitment to fund specialist staff to support mainstream schools, saying it could make a “real difference” for deaf children - but only if it leads to a significant increase in qualified Teachers of the Deaf.
As part of its Schools White Paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, the UK Government has announced a new “Experts at Hand” service, backed by £1.8 billion over three years.
The scheme will create a bank of specialists - including SEND teachers and therapists - in every local area, which schools will be able to draw on regardless of whether a child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
The charity said that for deaf children, the success of this investment will depend on whether it translates into the recruitment and training of more qualified Teachers of the Deaf. Their numbers have fallen by 24% since 2011, despite rising demand for specialist support.
Justin Cooke, Head of Policy and Influencing at the National Deaf Children’s Society, said: “The commitment to put specialist expertise within reach of every mainstream school is potentially transformative. Deaf children rely on specialist teaching to develop language, communication and learning skills - and that specialist expertise cannot be replaced by any welcome increase in teacher SEND training alone.
“For this investment to deliver for deaf children, it must mean training and employing more qualified Teachers of the Deaf. We have seen their numbers fall sharply over the past decade. Reversing that decline must now be a priority.”
The National Deaf Children’s Society has said the emphasis on earlier intervention and strengthening mainstream provision reflects long-standing concerns from families of deaf children, many of whom report delays and barriers in securing support.
New figures from the Department for Education highlight the scale of the challenge. In 2025, just 42% of deaf children achieved a good level of development at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage, compared with 68% of all children. Only 40% achieved the expected level across all early learning goals, compared with 67% of children overall.
Demand for support is also rising. Since 2015/16, the number of deaf children receiving SEN support has increased by nearly 19%, while those with EHCPs have risen by almost 7%. Over the same period, the number attending state-funded special schools has grown by almost 50%.
While welcoming the direction of travel, the charity said the detail of the reforms - particularly around EHCP changes and the future of specialist resource provisions - will require careful scrutiny.
Mr Cooke continued: “This White Paper could mark a turning point for deaf children, but we need to study the detail. Specialist provision must be strengthened, not diluted, and families must retain confidence that their children’s rights and support will be protected.
“We stand ready to work with Government to ensure these reforms genuinely improve outcomes for deaf children.”
The publication of the White Paper marks the start of a 12-week consultation period. No immediate changes will take place and all existing rights remain in force.