Children deaf or hard of hearing living in a French-minority: parents’ reflections on services and experiences

Hearing can shape a child's developmental experiences; how they communicate, learn, interact, and engage with the world. Among the 1 million Francophones who live in a minority situation in Canada, an estimated 600 to 700 are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH). Canadians living in a minority situation often face barriers accessing certain services. For DHH children, the linguistic environment is particularly important. However, it is unclear whether raising a DHH child in a linguistic minority presents additional challenges. The goal of this pan-Canadian research project was to gain an understanding of the perspectives of parents of DHH children living in a Francophone-minority community on factors that have contributed positively or negatively to the development of their child. Using a qualitative approach, interviews were conducted with 14 parents across Canada. Thematic analyses of these interviews resulted in four key themes: the importance of the French language for these families, the lack of services in French, the lack of resources in general and in French, and the elements that contribute positively to the development of this population of children. Findings from this study reinforce the importance of providing access to French services in minority settings for these families.