Stacey Shah: Hearing parents of deaf children should never be pushed away from Sign Language (BSL)

I started a petition to ensure that hearing parents of deaf children are given balanced, evidence based information – including the importance of British Sign Language.

I set this petition up because it deeply hurts me to see hearing parents of deaf children still being given outdated advice that pushes them away from sign language.

Too many families are told to focus only on speech, listening, or technology—as if British Sign Language (BSL) will hold their child back. But BSL is not a barrier. It is language, connection, comfort, safety, and belonging. It gives deaf children a way to understand the world and to be understood by the people closest to them.

I want to be clear: being deaf is not something bad. Deaf children are not broken, and deafness is not the problem. The real issue arises when deaf children are not given full access to language, and when families are not properly supported from the very beginning.

Language is not just about words. It is how a child asks questions, shares feelings, builds confidence, and forms close relationships. Without full access to communication, a child can feel isolated—even within their own home. A family can love their child with all their heart, but if communication is limited, that bond can become strained. The love is there, but access is missing.

That is what breaks my heart.

I care deeply about supporting families and deaf children, and it is painful to see so many struggling when they should be receiving balanced, honest support from the start. Instead, some are given advice that can shape the entire future of that child and their family.

When hearing parents are discouraged from learning sign language, the effects can extend far beyond early childhood. It can impact confidence, identity, mental health, family closeness, and emotional wellbeing for years to come. Often, the impact becomes more noticeable as a child grows older—when conversations become more complex, emotions harder to express, and the gap between parent and child widens instead of narrows.

And that impact does not simply disappear when a deaf child grows up. Many deaf adults still carry the effects of limited communication: feeling left out, misunderstood, or emotionally distant from their own families. Not because they were not loved, but because they were not given the tools, support, or encouragement to communicate fully when it mattered most.

Mental health matters here too. Deaf children and adults can face increased mental health challenges, and one contributing factor is a lack of accessible communication and early language access at home. When a child cannot fully express themselves—or fully understand those around them—it can lead to frustration, loneliness, and emotional pain.

Another difficult truth is that some parents only realise the importance of sign language later on. After years of being told to focus elsewhere, they come to understand that sign language is essential for fully connecting with their child. By then, many feel guilt, regret, and sadness. No parent should be put in that position.

This is not about blaming parents. It is about stopping harmful advice and ensuring families are given balanced, evidence-based information—including the importance of British Sign Language. Parents deserve real choice. Deaf children deserve full access to language from the very start.

I started this petition because I want better for deaf children and their families. I want families to feel supported, not frightened. I want deaf children to grow up with language, strong family bonds, a healthy sense of identity, and the best possible start in life.

No family should be guided away from giving their child full access to communication. No professional should advise against giving a child access to language.

Please sign and share my petition if you believe deaf children and their families deserve language, support, and real choice from the very beginning.

My name is Stacey Shah and I am a mum to deaf children. This issue is very personal to me because I know how important language, communication, and feeling connected are for deaf children and their families. 

I started this petition because I believe parents deserve balanced, respectful information about British Sign Language from the very beginning, and should never be made to feel that sign language is something negative or lesser. You can sign it here.