I succeed.

Family Conversations at NWSDHH

A mother and a child sit on the floor. The boy brushes a baby doll's hair while the mom watches with her hands together as if clapping or signing.Family Conversations (FC) is a program for families with children from birth to age three who are deaf or hard-of-hearing (D/HH). Our program offers a total communication approach which integrates Signing Exact English (S.E.E.), speaking and listening. The children we serve through Family Conversations have a variety of hearing levels.

At Family Conversations, we begin supporting you from the moment your child is diagnosed deaf or hard-of-hearing. We work closely with you during the first three years of your child’s life.

Learning language early on is integral to your child’s ability to read and write, do well in school, make social connections and form fulfilling family relationships. As a parent/guardian, you are your child’s first teacher.

Our decades of experience show that deaf and hard-of-hearing children achieve their best when families get professional support early in life. We also realize each family is unique and use different methods to reach their goals for their child. Our role is to support you as you explore the many tools that can help your child learn and grow. Our communication coaches come to you and meet with your family in your home. Family Conversations offices are located on campus at Northwest School for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children (NWSDHH). We offer playgroups for children, meetings for parents to talk about raising a deaf or hard-of-hearing child and Signing Exact English (S.E.E.) classes.

Family Conversations Offers:

For more information, contact:

Tatiana Sarkhosh, MPH, Program Director

t.sarkhosh@northwestschool.com

(206) 364-4605, ext. 116

 

Family Conversations Testimonials

 

“It has been incredibly helpful having a personal communications coach who checks in with us regularly and is always there to help up with any questions we may have. It’s so encouraging knowing we all have the same goal, and that is to help him succeed. Also, we were completely new to the hard-of-hearing community and this program has helped open our eyes to all of the resources we wouldn’t have known otherwise!”

~ Mikala & Brandon, Family Conversations parents

“Without Family Conversations’ help we would have been totally lost! They taught us so much. We absolutely cannot stress how amazing, knowledgeable and experienced the staff is. Programs like FC have created a network of support and advocacy around the learning needs of our kids. Together, I think we can make sure that D/HH children live just as normal trajectories as any other kids. My hopes are what any parent would have for their child – that my child is able to grow into a confident, healthy and happy person, unhindered by any feeling of being less than the next person.”

~ Aley, Family Conversations parent

“Working with Family Conversations has been wonderful. Being a deaf family, we have different needs and goals than most families would have. I rely a lot on them to support with speech and listening, while other families would mostly need support on learning sign language.”

~Ashley, former NWSDHH student and Family Conversations parent

“Family Conversations was instrumental in helping us understand what hearing loss meant and what to do. Our children and our family have benefited greatly from Family Conversations in this journey together.”

~ Ken, Family Conversations parent

“We are so grateful to Family Conversations for the education, support and genuine care they have shown for our family.”

~ Sarah, Family Conversations parent