BC Deaf Children’s Society Closes Amid Funding Crisis

The Deaf Children’s Society of BC (DCS) has announced its closure after 46 years of providing essential services to deaf, hard-of-hearing, and deafblind children in British Columbia. This decision follows the provincial government’s recent reversal on language acquisition program reforms, leaving many in the community concerned about the future of language and identity for Deaf children.

The extraordinary general meeting held on October 29 revealed that the board’s decision to cease operations was influenced by years of financial strain and systemic challenges. “It’s not just an organization closing,” said Sarah-Anne Hrycenko, a Deaf professional who benefitted from DCS support as a child. “It’s the fading of an entire Deaf ecosystem that once nurtured language, identity, and leadership in the B.C. Deaf community.”

Staff layoffs will commence at the end of November, with the organization’s office lease expiring on December 31. Minutes from the meeting reflect deep sorrow among parents and community members, who recognized the fiscal realities outlined by the board.

For the last decade, DCS operated as a subcontractor under the BC Family Hearing Resource Society and has consistently faced annual financial deficits. The meeting minutes highlight that efforts to secure direct funding or increased allocations failed to provide a sustainable financial model.

In May 2023, the provincial Ministry of Children and Family Development released a call for responses aimed at reforming early intervention services, which gave the community hope for a revitalized role for DCS. This initiative emphasized treating American Sign Language (ASL) as a foundational element, ensuring families would not have to choose between ASL and spoken languages.

The proposed reforms included mandatory ASL fluency for staff, assessments aimed at reducing language deprivation, and a new service model set to begin in December 2025. However, the province recently cancelled this call for responses and opted to extend the existing contract with the BC Family Hearing Resource Society until March 2027.

Hrycenko expressed outrage at the government’s decision to cancel the reform initiative. “It sent a message that sign language and Deaf culture are optional rather than essential,” she stated. “That’s a dangerous precedent. The public needs to understand that language access is not a privilege — it’s a human right.”

Currently, around 100 children are born annually in B.C. with hearing loss, leading to approximately 500 children under five who require specialized services. Hrycenko is part of a working group within the BC Association of the Deaf that is seeking a meeting with both Premier David Eby and Children and Family Development Minister Jodie Wickens.

In a letter sent to the ministers, the group emphasized the need for meaningful support and empowerment for the Deaf community. “As a historically marginalized community, Deaf, hard of hearing, and deafblind individuals have too often been excluded from decisions that directly affect our lives,” they stated.

Wickens responded positively, indicating her willingness to meet and discuss the crucial importance of these services. “Feedback from families and what they want in our province is vitally important,” she noted. While she acknowledged the disagreement that led to the pause in the reform process, Wickens assured that programs and services would continue during the consultation period.

However, the government’s announcement of further consultation has drawn criticism from community members. Nigel Howard, a sign language interpreter and adjunct professor in linguistics, highlighted that extensive efforts had already been made to develop the call for responses, involving various stakeholders. He cautioned that further consultation might dilute the original work that was acceptable to the Deaf community.

“There’s going to be distrust, continued distrust, in the ministry if they are not more transparent in how they are making these decisions,”

said Joanna Cannon, a special education program coordinator at the University of British Columbia. Cannon emphasized that the existing system—which prioritizes choices for parents—has not been effective, with many children entering kindergarten lacking full language proficiency.

The decision to delay funding reforms for two years poses serious implications for children in need of immediate support. Cannon remarked, “Two years is a long time in a child’s life,” stressing the urgency of addressing language access for Deaf children to prevent long-term impacts on their development.

As the DCS prepares for closure, the challenges facing the Deaf community in British Columbia remain critical. The future of many children hangs in the balance, highlighting the need for a renewed commitment to support and empower the Deaf ecosystem in the province.