DeafCOG provides one-to-one person and deaf centred support to Deaf, deafened, hard of hearing and deaf-blind people.

We are a deaf-community-led organisation that consistently works with our community, ensuring our work is deaf-centric. We actively encourage a co-design and co-production environment, where ideas, concerns and suggestions from all community members are sought, valued, documented and monitored. DeafCOG has eleven years’ experience as a Deaf service provider in the region, we are a trusted local provider, able to provide a holistic and tailored deaf specific service to people living in Brighton & Hove, West and East Sussex.

 
Our Community Support Workers will be proficient in BSL, with an in-depth understanding of issues relating to deaf people and their culture. We recognise that language proficiency alone is not enough for a Community Support Worker to effectively meet the care needs of deaf people. We can confidently state we meet the seven core principles of self-directed support and believe we stand out from other organisations because of this. Principle 6 in particular states that 'Individuals are enabled to access support networks and participate in the planning, development and evaluation of services' which is a core workplace value.

Our service is reformative and engaging, enabling the full participation of each individual in their own community at a level they are comfortable with, retaining their independence, dignity and wellbeing. The Community Support team will ensure that care plans stay relevant with genuine input from the people we support and will adapt plans when needed to meet the changing needs of the person we support. We put the individual first in everything we do and start from the place they are, moving them on in ways that will increase their wellbeing, independence and maintain their dignity. We use this to steer our community activities, so that individuals can benefit from wider community assets and develop a more rounded life, becoming more active citizens and reduce isolation and the associated risks.

Each individual will influence and develop our service in their own way, to ensure that what we provide is always informed and appropriate. Our integrated Community Support service will link into our Community Connect work-streams to promote and encourage independent, healthy living; cultivate strong community links to ensure natural support networks are used well; to inspire the sharing of information in a language that is accessible and culturally appropriate. We will support carers and families of our service users to actively engage in the positive work we do for the benefit of the individual. 

Referrals
 

Service users can apply for referrals directly by using the online referral form below. Alternatively family or friends, members of the NHS, Social Services or anyone else connected to the service user, who has their permission to act on their behalf, can also apply. A referral is just the first stage of a fulfilling journey. The referral will start a non-committal conversation before any mutual decision is made, by all involved. We then work together to develop an understanding of the support that is needed and how this will be provided, with regular formal and informal reviews of the care plan to ensure progress and growth is achieved and each person is able to be the best version of themselves they can be.

If you have any queries about our Community Support Service please contact us by email at support@deafcog.co.uk and we will be happy to assist you.