Neighbours of deaf girl learn sign language so she can trick-or-treat

ITV News Correspondent Stacey Foster joins Ada and her mother, Tilly, on her first time trick or treating
A 6-year-old girl from Worcestershire is able to go trick-or-treating for the first time this year because her neighbours have learned sign language.
Ada, who is deaf, hasn’t been able to enjoy the experience of Halloween in the same way as her hearing friends, particularly as the darkness, costumes and masks can create barriers for her.
She is not the only one: new research found that nearly 45% of deaf children have skipped trick-or-treating because of concerns around being misunderstood, and almost 80% feel like they’re missing out on the fun of Halloween.
Now, Ada’s street has has come together to learn sign language so she can take part in the tradition for the very first time.
Speaking about the experience, Ada’s mother Tilly said: “People open doors and they speak, and she won’t understand any of that. And it can be stressful, and she’s left out, so we’ve avoided it basically.
“We haven’t wanted to put her in a position that we know would be stressful and isolating.
“The fact that our street now knows a little BSL, we’re really looking forward to taking her out trick-or-treating for the first time. Having her neighbours communicate with her in BSL is going to be so exciting.”
In a drive to make Halloween more inclusive for children, Cadbury Fingers and the National Deaf Children’s Society created the first British Sign Language street in Worcestershire.
Ada’s neighbours learned phrases such as “trick or treat” and “you look spooky” and put stickers on their window to show they are BSL-friendly.
Susan Daniels, Chief Executive at the National Deaf Children’s Society, said: “Together, we aim to raise awareness about the communication barriers deaf children and young people can face, encouraging more people to be deaf aware, as well as learn some basic signs.
“We want to see a more inclusive world so that every deaf child can be part of the conversation.”
Only 8% of people are confident in greeting someone in BSL, and 60% find it difficult to communicate with someone who’s deaf, research found.
Cadbury Fingers and the National Deaf Children’s Society are encouraging others to learn even a small amount of BSL to create a “greater sense of inclusion”.
Anastasia Lutskovskaya, senior brand manager at Cadbury Fingers, said: “Just knowing even basic BSL can make a deaf person feel more included in moments of celebration and sharing.”
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