Author: Stella Lee
Recently the government is requesting input from parents/guardians of DHH children who have received or needed early intervention and/or early language services in B.C. within the last 10 years, you are invited to participate in a 30-minute virtual interview in February and early March 2026.
What Parents Need to Know (Focus on Choice)
This interview is part of a public engagement about Early Language Services for children (birth to Kindergarten entry) who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have hearing differences. Your voice helps shape how services are delivered in the future.
1. Why Your Voice Matters
This is a consultation to better understand young D/hh children’s language and communication needs-and the needs of their parents/families.
The feedback will help inform how early language services are designed and delivered going forward.
Your experience is essential. You are the expert on your child.
2. What “Choice” Means in Early Language Services
A key focus is ensuring families have choices to make an informed decision in:
- Spoken language services
- Signed language services
- Bilingual approaches (spoken and signed)
- Communication methods that best fit your child and family
For deaf and hard of hearing children, full access to language from the start is critical. Families should:
- Receive clear, balanced information about all language options
- Understand the benefits and considerations of different approaches
- Feel supported in their decisions
- Be able to revisit or adjust choices as their child grows
The goal is that children can access and use the language(s) that are most accessible and effective for them.
3. What the Interview is Like
- One-on-one conversation with a facilitator
- Not recorded
- No technical knowledge required
- No preparation needed
- Open-ended questions about your experiences
- A notetaker will summarize themes (no identifying information included)
You may be asked about:
- What helped you access services
- Whether information about language options was clear and balanced
- How you made decisions about language and communication
- What supports helped (or would have helped) you feel confident in your choices
- What would improve early language services for families
4. Your Rights in the Process
You have the right to:
- Request accommodations to fully participate
- Share as much or as little as you are comfortable with
- Speak honestly about positive and challenging experiences
- Expect confidentiality (no names in reports)
Feedback from all families will be summarized in a public engagement report.
5. Key Things to Reflect on Before the Interview
You do not need to prepare but it may help to think about:
- Did you feel you had/have choice in language decisions?
- Was information about spoken and signed language presented fairly?
- Did you feel supported if you wanted ASL and spoken (bilingual) or a different approach?
- Were your cultural, linguistic, and family values respected?
- What would have made decision-making easier?
- What would you want new parents to know about navigating these choices?
6. The Big Picture
This engagement will not revisit past individual decisions or change current budgets, but it will inform how early language services are designed in the future.
The purpose is to better understand:
- The language needs of children
- The needs of families
- How services can better support informed family choice
Final Notes
You are not being evaluated.
There are no right or wrong answers.
Your story helps improve services for future families.
Link to sign up for interview:
https://feedback.engage.gov.bc.ca/246232.
Another way to have your voice heard is by completing a survey:
https://feedback.engage.gov.bc.ca/247588?lang=en
