Guidance

Civil Service Deaf and Hard of Hearing Network

Updated 11 November 2024

The Civil Service Deaf and Hard of Hearing Network is a sub-network of the Civil Service Disability Network (CSDN) and is open to all civil servants and agencies staff.

The network is designed primarily to provide support to those who are D/deaf, hard of hearing, have tinnitus, misophonia, hyperacusis or any other hearing/deafness-related condition. We welcome friends, relatives, managers and colleagues of employees with any of the above conditions. We are also looking for allies who are keen to make the workplace more diverse and equal.

The network offers the opportunity for everyone to come together as a group, to discuss, share and support each other on all matters relating to deafness and hearing loss.

It engages with people across government with the aim of offering all civil servants the opportunity to challenge, and have ‘your say’, in helping us to shape the deafness and hearing loss agenda for the Civil Service.

Vision

To provide advice, information, support and guidance to all Civil Service staff on deafness and hearing loss and work together across the Civil Service to raise the profile of deafness and hearing loss while sharing and promoting best practice.

Aims

• To promote increased awareness of deafness and hearing loss issues across the Civil Service.
• To address specific problems for the deafness and hearing loss community across the Civil Service.

Objectives

• To increase awareness of deafness and hearing loss issues across the Civil Service.
• To offer a forum to raise and address specific concerns related to deafness and hearing loss.
• To engage proactively with policy development, the Civil Service Disability Network, Civil Service Workplace Adjustment Team and other departmental networks as appropriate, to ensure consideration is given to deafness and hearing loss requirements at an early stage.
• Establish links with Diversity and Inclusion staff across the Civil Service, sharing best practice and providing mutual support where deafness and hearing loss issues arise.

The five principles of the Civil Service Deaf and Hard of Hearing Network

1. We will be honest with ourselves, our sponsors, champions and all our stakeholders.
2. We will uphold Civil Service standards of behaviour, including the Civil Service Code.
3. We will promote our work, in a manner that is aligned with the Civil Service Disability Network and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.
4. We welcome everyone to be part of our network within the Civil Service.
5. We are inclusive of each other as network members and act and speak with one voice.

Initiatives the Civil Service Deaf and Hard of Hearing Network is implementing

• Regular newsletter with updates across all departments and the latest news in the world on hearing/deafness.
• Awareness sessions across all departments. Our aim this year is to raise awareness among managers on how they can implement workplace adjustments and how this would increase the team’s productivity. Please contact one of our representatives below if you would like to book a session for your team.
• Online monthly 1-hour Coffee morning meetings. Become a CSDHHN member and join our vibrant community of similar-minded people.
• Civil Service Assistive Technologies for deaf^{[footnote 1]} Working Group is bringing together workplace adjustments and countless technologies that are available for deaf^{[footnote 1]} people.

General enquiries

If you would like to join the Civil Service Deaf and Hard of Hearing Network, or find out more about it, please contact stephen.bignell@cluster2security.gov.uk or marie.letten@homeoffice.gov.uk

1. We use the term ‘deaf’ to cover the whole hearing/deafness spectrum. ↩ ↩²