Hearts & Hands: Enhancing Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) for Deaf Children and Their Families

Hearts & Hands project aims to support hearing parents of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) children aged 4 and older. Recognizing that 96% of deaf children are born to hearing parents who often feel overwhelmed and unprepared following a diagnosis, this project steps in to bridge the gap between clinical diagnosis and daily family life. Project’s mission is to replace parental anxiety and isolation with confidence and practical skills. By focusing on a family learning approach, the project will provide parents with the necessary tools to foster their child’s Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and Theory of Mind (ToM), the two critical areas of development that are often delayed in DHH children due to language deprivation and systemic barriers.

The project objectives are:

1. Develop comprehensive educational materials focused on SEL and ToM development for DHH children, supporting
   parents and educators with practical tools and strategies to foster emotional growth and social skills.
2. Strengthen the capacity of parents by training them in play therapy and interactive learning approaches, ensuring they have the confidence and skills to support their child’s emotional development at home.
3. Upskill adult educators in supporting families of DHH children, providing them with methodologies to guide parents in
   integrating SEL practices into daily routines.
4. Foster parent-child collaboration through interactive storytelling workshops, where families co-create narratives that a professional artist transforms into comics, reinforcing self-expression and emotional awareness.

Coordinator: InterAktion – Verein für ein interkulturelles Zusammenleben (Austria)
P2: Ceangal Eolais Limited (Ireland)
P3: INQUIRY FUSE (Cyprus)
P4: KENTRO MERIMNAS OIKOGENEIAS KAI PAIDIOU (Greece)
P5: STICHTING KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT BRABANT (Netherlands)