What time's cello tonight? Six. Oh god, you'll have to run in Paul. Pip has ballet at 5.30, I can't split myself in two.
Yeah okay, chill, that's fine. It's also weird when old people say chill. Charming. What time's the help arriving?
Joanne is arriving at... Yep, it's time to go. Grab your bags, please.
Oh, God, she's early. Paul, can you go to the door and take the baby with you? I'm leaving now. I'm already late.
Hi, I was about to knock. I'm Joanne. Yes. Suzanne, she'll be down in a minute. Thanks for helping us out.
We have quite low expectations. We just want her to be a little bit more confident in time for school. Right.
Anyway. She has a hearing aid, but she won't wear it. And I'm assuming there's no history of deafness on yours or your husband's side?
No. We only found out she was deaf when she was three and a half. Which probably makes me a bloody awful mother, but because she had a bit of hearing in her left ear that was overcompensating, apparently that's common. You're not an awful mother, it's very common.
And you said she didn't qualify for a cochlear implant? No, which was a real blow. And what's her communication like?
Does she know any sign language or is it just lip reading? Just lip reading. And her speech? Not good.
Right, well I'll probably start with a combination of speech and sign language just to see where she's at. A lot of children respond really well to sign because it's less frustrating. I can't see that being the case.
Libby follows what we're saying really well. Right, well I'm sure she'll be fine then. Stop you idiot! I'm on the phone!
Okay, so make yourself at home, sit down if you like. Liz, there's someone here to see you! Libby, can I have the remote please?
Libby? Libby, can I have the remote? She's usually happy when she's watching TV.
She can be very difficult. I mean, sometimes we don't even know what's wrong with her. Is there any pattern to that happening? Oh, no.
You know what they're like at this age. My other two are the same. Mum, my exam starts in 25 minutes. Yes, I'm coming. Seb's got his GCSEs and he's got A-stars in his marks, so I better not make him late.
Right, you got my mobile number? I'll be back in a few hours to see how you got on. You'd be brilliant.
Bye, Libby, darling. How's it been? Yeah, good. I told you she was quiet.
Yeah, does she ever interact? Yeah, she follows what we say really well. Trust me, when Libby's unhappy, you know about it.
I think I'll just try with some more interactive stuff. I've got quite a few books I think I've been... useful. There is actually a really good... Hello?
Sorry. Yeah, I've literally just walked in the door. Can I call you back in five minutes? Are you sorry?
Yeah. Yeah, tomorrow. I said, yeah.
8.30, yeah? Okay, don't worry. Bye. Sorry.
Poor mum, she's a bloody nuisance. Oh, it's fine. I'll just bring some stuff to try her with tomorrow.
Does she like the park? Well, I haven't taken her since she was tiny, but I'm sure she'd love it. Yeah, it's only five minutes away. Yeah, it's all right.
Great. Thanks, Joanne. OK, bye.
You moving in? Oh, with Libby. She's inside with Sue. She's in a good mood. Libby, I mean.
Sue's never in a good mood. Hey! Oh hey Libby.
Oh sorry, the door was open. I thought you could have a busy day. I'm so sorry, I've got to shoot off again.
I've got to take Paul's mum to the hospital. Oh no worries. Bye Libs.
You be good. See you later. Thank you.
Let's pack it back. Where's your bag? I just wondered how she'll get on with the sign language at school?
How do you mean? Well, I'm not sure that many people know it. Well, she'd need to have an interpreter sat with her and extra support and, well, I'm not trying to talk myself into a job, but I'd be more than happy to help. Right, okay. I'm just wondering if we should be focusing more on the lip reading rather than the sign language?
Well as it stands at the moment Libby's going to struggle with speech so combination of sign language and lip-reading will have the best results. Like I know it can feel a bit alien but the basics are actually really easy to learn. Might be a nice thing to do as a family.
I'm just not sure how doable that is at the moment. Pip has ballet and some rehearsals with the Midland Choir three times a week but we'll chat about it tomorrow. I'll talk to Paul.
Okay great. Right. Lev, can you pass me the down please?
Here you go. Oh Sue, don't forget that letter will you? Did you ever find your leather jacket? Yeah, it was in the office.
She's signing. She's probably hungry. Can you pass me that butter, sir? I think it means orange juice.
Jo taught me some stuff. That's cool. Yeah, Jo's doing a good job.
You know, however many hairstyles you try, she's not going to go out with you. Oh, talk of the devil. Quick, someone give him some hair wax.
Morning. Morning Jo. Hello, hello. Jo, what do you think of Sev's hair? It's cool.
Right, it's time to go. Seb! What is it, Liz? What's she saying?
Television? No? No, I think she wants to look for treasure, so I'll sort that out. We're going to move on, Pip.
Seb, can you bring my briefcase, please? Thank you. Right, so I'm on the bloody hospital run again with Paul's mum today.
I think I mentioned last night I'm going to be a bit late again tonight, more like six. Yeah, that's fine. We'll have lots of fun.
Bye, Libby. Oh my bloody purse! Hi, I'm Joanne.
I look after Libby. Well, hello, darling. Is she being good for you? Libby, yeah, she's great. She's so bright.
Is she? Do you think she'll be able to get a job one day? Yeah, I think she'll be able to have a career in whatever she wants.
Oh, God bless her. Her grandad was deaf, you know, from birth. He had a job as a cleaner.
I knew him. Really? Libby's grandad?
Sorry, do you mean Paul's dad or Sue's dad? Neither, darling. She's not Paul's, you know. I told him he should have left, but he never listened to his mother.
Right, well, it was really nice to meet you. You too, dear. All right, then?
Yeah. I know that she's a great language, but I don't know, and no one in the school knows. Child, you want them to be normal, you want them to be perfect. She is normal Sue, she's just deaf.
Look. I know it's your area of expertise, but you must understand, I'm Libby's mother and I know what's best for her. No, no, of course you know best.
It's just that schools don't always understand deafness. You have to fight for the support sometimes, but it is out there. I know what I'm doing Jo, you must understand. I've been a mother for a very long time.
I do appreciate your concern and Krul and I will arrange to go in and see the head. I mean, do you think we'd send her to school without making sure everything was in place for her? Hello!
Yeah, no I'm fine, I'm on the bike. Is everything okay? It's just, um...
Sorry, this is a difficult thing to say, but Paul and I have been talking and we think it's best that Lib stops the sign language. Why? We think that speech therapy is a better route to take. I really thought... I don't understand.
She was doing so well. I know. For school, it's really important that she carries on with sign language and gets extra support.
We've talked a lot about this, Jo, and we've actually been in to see the head and... They had a little deaf wife a few years ago and he's absolutely fine. I don't know. Look, I'm nearly here now.
Can I explain it to her? Because she'll wonder where I am. Ok class, open your books, write the date at the top and we'll start the spelling test.
Number one, there. Number two, here.