Our objectives were twofold. Firstly, we aimed to sufficiently inform, coach, and guide deaf parents in their sign language on perinatology and parenthood. By training a deaf and sign language-proficient professional doula and parent guide, we sought to strengthen the knowledge and expertise within our team. We opted for tailored individual and collective workshops, where deaf parents could reflect and share their experiences under the guidance of a deaf parent guide and doula. This allowed us to provide high-quality coaching tailored to the needs of deaf parents. Secondly, we aimed to empower deaf parents to make their own choices regarding perinatology and parenthood, and contribute to an inclusive society where they have a say. By providing them with tools and support in making these choices, we aimed to increase their assertiveness and prevent others from making decisions for them. In this way, we wanted to enable deaf parents to become fully-fledged citizens and participate equally in society. This would not only benefit deaf parents but also contribute to greater awareness in society about the capabilities of deaf individuals as parents.
Our organization, Empoway vzw, felt the need to expand our knowledge and expertise to provide consultancy and guidance for deaf parents, focusing on perinatal care and parenting. We trained our team in these specific areas, aiming to inform and support deaf parents. Specifically, we decided to invest in one of our trainers: Inès Guerreiro, a psychological consultant with extensive experience in conducting training sessions and workshops with deaf adults on various topics (personal development, empowerment, Deaf Gain, finding work passion, etc.). She needed a theoretical and practical education on perinatal care and parenting to become a professional doula and counselor for deaf parents in our organization. Our actions aim not only to inform and raise awareness among deaf parents but also to promote their participation in society. Due to the lack of information, many deaf parents make decisions based on advice from others without fully understanding the consequences. Therefore, empowering deaf parents is crucial to enable them to make informed choices and fully participate in society.