DPUK comments of support from Her Majesty The Queen, Politicians and Celebrities:
Following her research in USA and UK on the gaps in services for Deaf parents and Deaf parents to be, Sabina Iqbal (Chair of DPUK) established Deaf parenting Project under the DPPi, which later became independent as Deaf Parenting UK in 2001.
Sarah Teather MP, Minister of State for Children and Families (Department of Education)
Sarah Teather MP, Minister of State for Children and Families: “I would like to pay tribute to the tremendous work of Deaf Parenting UK. This organisation ensures that the needs of parents are not overlooked and it is our collective responsibility to ensure parents receive the support they need. I wish you all the best for the future”.
Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State of Department for Education
Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State is delighted to give his full endorsement and support to Deaf Parenting UK. In his letter to Deaf Parenting UK, he wrote:
“I know first-hand the difficulities faced by Deaf children and Deaf parents and I also know how brillantly Deaf parents are coping with life’s challenges.
I’m therefore delighted to be able to endorse and support the work of Deaf Parenting UK.
We should all celebrate and support the love and committment of 1000’s of Deaf parents who provide children with a wonderful start in life.
I wish you the best of luck in the future”
Tana Ramsay, Tesco Celebrity Mum of the Year 2010 and wife of Gordon Ramsay, Celebrity Chef
Tana Ramsay is best known for being married to chef and TV star Gordon Ramsay for 13 years whilst bringing up their brood of four children. She is 36, a chef and has written a number of cooking books, including Home Made, Tana Ramsay’s Family Kitchen and Tana Ramsay’s Real Family Food. She originally trained as a Montessori schoolteacher. Tana has her own kitchen in the family home – and does most of the cooking. Tana has been happy to play the traditional housewife role.
Tana Ramsay, wife of Gordon Ramsay: “I am a proud supporter of Deaf Parenting UK, a charity that does ground-breaking work reaching out to deaf parents who previously hadn’t been given the resources they so desperately needed. Their achievements thus far have been astounding and I wish them a huge amount of success in the future.”
Lynne Featherstone MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Equalities), The Government Equalities Office:
“The awesome responsibility that parents shoulder to fight for their children is made less lonely and difficult because of Deaf Parenting UK whose work is so very much needed. Parenting is difficult under any circumstances – but when our children have something which makes their life more difficult – then we parents need support to fight those fights – but also to know that we are not alone.”
Sarah Brown, President of PiggyBankKids and wife of the former Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown MP
“I was very pleased to learn about Deaf Parenting UK through the Tesco Mum of the Year awards and have been incredibly impressed at the services they offer to Mums and Dads in genuine need. As parents we all need support now and then and this charity will help deaf parents and their children get the best out of life.”Dr Miriam Stoppard, OBE
Dr Miriam Stoppard OBE, who is a well-known celebrity to millions all over the world as a leading authority on parenting, child care, women’s health, and many other crucial health issues. Miriam’s books have been translated into over 35 languages and sold over 20 million copies worldwide. She has direct experience of the problems of ordinary people answering reader’s letters in a daily double spread in The Daily Mirror, read by 7 million people every day, as well as a regular health page in “Tesco Magazine” and “Top Sante”.
Dr Miriam Stoppard OBE said: “I found Deaf Parenting UK and the work that they do for deaf parents inspirational. It is vital to ensure that our information/advice are accessible to all and most often, it is the deaf parents who lose out because they can’t hear or access any spoken information that we take for granted. I’m keen to support Deaf Parenting UK.”
Emmerdale
Emmerdale’ Spokesperson recognised the importance of Deaf Parenting UK, saying: “If you are a parent yourselves, it is challenging being a parent but for Deaf parents, it is even more challenging as information and services are not accessible for Deaf parents who use sign language as first/ main language. Little things like access to info during pregnancy, birth, the choices of labour/ birth, planning the baby, child’s first few years, their education – choosing which school are often taken for granted where hearing parents can find out information from other parents, chatting to neighbours/ local network, local radio/ newspaper, TV as such but for Deaf parents, they miss out so many information and were often the last to know.
Deaf Parenting UK is working hard to reach out to Deaf parents, enabling them to have confidence in being parents as well as to raise awareness of Deaf parenting issues among Deaf parents and professionals who work with them. Deaf Parenting UK also campaign for better access to services for Deaf parents in all aspect of parenting in the same way as other parents.
For those reasons, all cast from Emmerdale Production Team are thrilled in support of Deaf Parenting UK and wish to highlight that Deaf parents should have the same opportunities in life as any other parents in accessing to information and services. We are in favour of the unique work that Deaf Parenting UK do and would urge everyone else to support Deaf Parenting UK by any means necessary.”
Rt Hon David Cameron MP, Prime Minister
“Nothing gives us greater happiness than our families and relationships, which is why strengthening relationships within families is so important.
In the support and advice it provides, Deaf Parenting UK is doing just that. It is a unique organisation which has made a real difference to the lives of those it has helped”
Nick Clegg MP, Deputy Prime Minister
“It is with great pleasure that I lend my full support to Deaf Parenting UK. The work carried out by this organisation is utterly invaluable not only in providing support and advice for deaf parents across the UK, but more generally in raising awareness of the variety of issues which affect the deaf community.
Being a parent is one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences in life. This organisation is doing fantastic work in raising awareness of the specific issues facing deaf parents.
I would like to take this opportunity to commend all those working at Deaf Parenting UK for their hard work in empowering and supporting Deaf parents and challenging attitudinal barriers.”
Annette Brooke MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Children Schools and Families
“The excellent work that Deaf Parenting UK carries out is such a valuable resource to both deaf parents and their children. DPUK has rightly highlighted the lack of support for deaf parents and through their services are providing this much-needed resource.
What is so amazing about the support provided is that it has been put together and is run by the very people whose lives are affected in this way and who have hands-on experience of how to deal with the difficulties unique to deaf parents.
By providing practical advice, DPUK is empowering parents to take matters into their own hands and deal with the challenges of day-to-day living.
I would like to commend them for all their tireless work, not only by providing practical tools but also for providing role models, such as Sabina Iqbal, who are an inspiration to us all.”
Baroness Warsi Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion and Social Action
“I must congratulate you on the very positive work that you are doing with your charity. I wish you all the best.”
The Rt Hon Theresa May MP, Home Secretary and Minster for Women & Equality
“Deaf parents face unique challenges and understandably need some extra support. I pay tribute to the work of Deaf Parenting UK in providing this support. In allowing deaf parents to gain skills and share their experiences with others in the same situation, Deaf Parenting UK plays a valuable role in helping families across the country and ensuring that more children have the best possible start in life.”
The Rt Hon James Purnell MP, Former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
“I was very pleased to hear about the valuable work that Deaf Parenting UK is doing. I can see what a difference important initiatives such as parenting skills training and networking events will make to the lives of deaf parents and I wish Deaf Parenting UK every success for the year ahead.”
Boris Johnson, Mayor of London
“We are working hard in London to remove barriers for people in the Deaf community and raise the profile and awareness of British and Irish Sign Language as London languages. I wish you well in developing the important work you are doing and hope we can work together to make London a truly inclusive city.“
Anne McGuire, former Minister for Disabled People
“Deaf Parenting UK sounds like a very interesting and innovative charity, which fits closely with the principals set out in the ‘Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People’ report published by the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit in January 2005. As you will be aware, the Office for Disability Issues has a key role in helping Government take forward the report’s recommendations.
I read with interest your annual report and am impressed with what you have achieved so far. Using well known people to raise awareness of the issues deaf parents face is a particularly effective idea. I hope you will accept this letter as a statement of my support for the work that you do. I hope Deaf Parenting UK continues to be successful in its work and I look forward to being kept informed of its progress.”
Her Majesty The Queen
“Her Majesty, The Queen was interested to see Deaf Parenting UK’s first Annual Report and Newsletter. Her Majesty sent her warm good wishes to you and to everyone at Deaf Parenting UK for a successful future.”
Niki Evans Semi Finalist of X-Factor
“As a parent with two boys, I have overcome so many challenges that parenting brought and can support Deaf parents as parents themselves. Having learnt about the work of Deaf Parenting UK and read their annual report with Deaf parents experiences, I realise the barriers that Deaf parents face in being a parents and the lack of access to the much-needed information and services that many of us have taken for granted.
For these reasons, I am delighted to show my strong support to Deaf Parenting UK and the work they are doing. They have worked tirelessly to highlight the gaps in services for Deaf parents and working with others to empower, enabling confidence and supporting Deaf parents in UK. I am also impressed by the recognition that they have in raising the profile of Deaf Parenting UK across the world.”
Coronation Street
“Coronation Street learnt that 90% of deaf children come from hearing families but when these deaf children grow up and become deaf adults, they are 90% likely to have hearing children and yet Deaf parents’ access to information and services on parenting issues are extremely limited.
Coronation Street is proud to support the work of Deaf Parenting UK and share the vision that Deaf parents should have the same opportunities in life as everyone and should not be discriminated.”
David Lammy MP Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Skills
” I would like to thank you and the organisation for all the hard work you have put in for deaf parents and congratulate you on the publication of your book, ‘Pregnancy & Birth: A Guide for Deaf Women’. Providing support to deaf parents is a vital service and I am thankful to Deaf Parenting UK for providing this.”
Tom Levitt MP
“I know that Deaf parents face special challenges in bringing up their children, whether hearing or deaf themselves, and I admire the work they do tremendously. Although we have passed laws to help people like you in several ways, it remains the job of politicians to make life better for those who struggle with the everyday demands of life. I urge you to make sure that your local politicians are aware of what needs to be done – and encourage them to do it.”
Haji Saghir Alam OBE, Equality 2025 Member
“You are doing excellent work in a very important area ensuring disability equality for all.”
Cherie Booth QC
“I am delighted to give my personal support to the important work of Deaf Parenting UK. DPUK has become an increasingly essential forum of advice and support for deaf parents – enabling ideas, experiences, problems and solutions to be shared and to help lead the fight for better information and services. And it is because it is driven by the experiences and needs of deaf parents themselves, that DPUK has proved such an effective champion in such a short space of time. It is why I am sure your organisation will prove a model for other countries to follow.
Everyone associated with DPUK can take great pride in what you are together achieving.”
The Duchess of Kent
“I have read your DPUK Report and DPUK Newsletter with great interest and am impressed by all that you have achieved at Deaf Parenting UK”
Prince William & Prince Harry
“The Prince William and Prince Harry were very interested to hear about your organisation and send you and all at Deaf Parenting UK their best wishes.”
Gordon Brown, Former Prime Minister
“We recognise the significant expertise and the crucial role that practitioners such as Deaf Parenting UK have to play in helping to deliver strategies and plan high quality services for parents and their families.”
