During our first financial year, Little Ears Matter CIC established and began delivering specialist support for children and young people with hearing needs in Birmingham and surrounding areas. Our work focused on improving access to educational audiology, ear health support, assistive listening technology and practical guidance for families. We provided targeted one-to-one support to help ensure children’s hearing needs were appropriately understood and met. This included support for families of deaf children in the Early Years and primary school, as well as specialist one-to-one support for a deaf college student. A key priority was undertaking specialist training to strengthen the safe, evidence-based delivery of ear and hearing support. We also developed a partnership with a local NHS Trust, working alongside ENT and paediatric audiology services to support increased clinical capacity. During the year, our Executive Director held an honorary contract with the Trust, enabling close collaboration with these services and contribution to a weekly paediatric earwax removal clinic. This helped children with hearing needs access specialist ear care more promptly, reducing barriers affecting hearing technology use, communication and access to learning. Family feedback informed the development of inclusive community events for deaf and hard-of-hearing children and their families, promoting peer support, social inclusion and access to specialist advice. As a new organisation, we established robust governance and safeguarding policies and ensured that all relevant staff held Enhanced DBS clearance. In August 2025, we received £19,980 from The National Lottery Community Fund for the HearClear4Kids project. Activity during the year focused on project set-up, delivery planning, stakeholder and family engagement, and preparation for community-based ear health and family support activities. Overall, our work improved access to specialist hearing and ear health support, strengthened families’ understanding and management of hearing needs, and enhanced collaboration between community, education and NHS partners. This laid the foundations for sustainable, preventative and family-centred support for children and young people with hearing needs.

Our main stakeholders are children and young people with deafness or a hearing loss, their parents and carers, education professionals, and NHS audiology and ENT professionals. During our first financial year, consultation was primarily undertaken through direct conversations with children, young people and families receiving support, alongside discussions with professionals working with children with hearing needs. Parents shared their experiences of accessing ear health, audiology and educational support and highlighted the need for more timely specialist advice, practical support and opportunities for families and deaf children to connect with others. Feedback from families directly influenced the development of Little Ears Matter’s services. In response, we undertook additional specialist training in ear care, developed plans for inclusive family events and community-based ear health support, and strengthened links with NHS services. Consultation and collaboration with paediatric audiology and ENT professionals also helped identify pressures relating to access to specialist ear care. This contributed to the development of our partnership with a local NHS Trust and our involvement in weekly paediatric earwax-removal clinics. Stakeholder feedback also informed the development of the HearClear4Kids project, including its focus on accessible ear health support, practical information for families, opportunities for peer support and inclusive activities for deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

No remuneration was received

No transfer of assets other than for full consideration