Humble yet Proud: GPOD is Active...

I am proud to present the official website of GPOD (Global Coalition of Parents of Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing). I am the only member without an organization to represent, I just kind of represent the community I've met through the internet. But perhaps I am a prime example of how powerful an organization like GPOD can be in support of a motivated parent.

You see, the work that I have been sweating through in Italy in regard to the project involving Newborn Hearing Screening and the Italian Pediatric Federation has been assisted by my contact with incredible mom advocates like Ann Porter (Aussie Deaf Kids), Leeanne Seaver and Janet DesGeorges (Hands & Voices), who facilitated my access to resources. Information is Power.

GPOD represents an opportunity of creating a worldwide web bank of resources and information in Deafness from Parent to Parent.

I present you with our first GPOD "Newsletter" which you will be receiving if you left your email address with us upon completion of the survey, which to date has 444 responses from parents worldwide.

Thank you so much for your support and for sharing your concerns, so that we can all work together to improve a system that so lacks a parental voice.

Dear Parent,

These are exciting times as more and more parents of deaf or hard of hearing children are joining efforts to improve Newborn Hearing Screening and Early Intervention Systems according to a more family-centered approach! In June 2008, parent leader advocates from Hands & Voices, Aussie Deaf Kids and NDCS invited several other parent organizations present at an international conference on universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS), where the overall concern was that the emphasis on identifying children with hearing loss was lacking the equally important need to support their families with information and a strong network, so they could in turn provide effective support for their children.

This meeting led to the creation of GPOD.

The Global Coalition of Parents of Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (GPOD) is an international collaboration of parent groups dedicated to promoting improved systemic protocols and practices which encourage informed choice and the empowerment of families with a deaf or hard of hearing child throughout the world.

Based on the premise that essentially, we want “the system” to recognize the needs and concerns of the families it’s designed to serve, GPOD has created a global survey to be translated in more languages so as to truly reach as many nations as possible to produce parental feedback that will in fact shape future UNHS services. Help us inform professionals and policy makers throughout the world on the best ways to support families with a deaf child.

If you have not already done so, we would appreciate it if you could take 10 minutes to complete our survey to help us understand the support needs and experiences of your family, by clicking here. Special thanks to Rachel Chaikof for designing our GPOD logo. We have established our roots, now it is up to you to help us grow...


The following is a list of organizations that the Global Parents of Deaf Children Coalition (GPOD) have been contacted by, and/or in communication and connected with, as we have journeyed together organizationally from around the globe to make a difference in the lives of our children:

Australia
Aussie Deaf Kids
Web address: http://www.aussiedeafkids.org.au/

Deaf Children Australia
Web address: http://www.deafchildrenaustralia.org.au/

France
Union Nationale des Associations de Parents d'Enfants Déficients Auditifs
Web address: http://www.unapeda.asso.fr/

Italy
Dai Genitori ai Genitori
http://daigenitoriaigenitori.blogspot.com/

New Zealand
NZ Federation for Deaf Children Inc
Web address: http://www.deafchildren.org.nz/

United Kingdom
National Deaf Children's Society
Web address: http://www.ndcs.org.uk/

United States
Hands & Voices
Web address: http://www.handsandvoices.org/
If your organization or association would like to join GPOD, please send an email with your group’s website and contact information.

The Time is Now,
GPOD