Cochlear Implanted Children's Support Group (CICS)

Established in 1993, and registered as a charity in May, 2003, the CICS Group is an independent voluntary charity founded by parents whose deaf children have cochlear implants and who recognise that there is no one approach that will suit all deaf children. We provide contact, information, support and events for families whose deaf children cannot benefit from hearing aids and need surgically implanted devices to access sound. Deafness is a hidden disability and can be isolating for the whole family.  The network of CICS Group families shares first-hand experience of the issues that surround life with an implanted child at any time on the child's cochlear implant journey to provide reassurance, encouragement and hope.  We organise activity weekends, social and information events, provide a printed quarterly newsletter and can arrange direct contact with families whose children already have cochlear implants using criteria such as child’s cause of deafness, age at implantation, additional needs, etc. The charity subsidises all its events for families and has a scheme to provide additional financial assistance to enable families with low income or exceptional circumstances to attend the charity's activity weekends. Membership for families is free, the charity has no paid staff and no office and relies entirely on donations and fundraising events to cover the running costs. The group also helps researchers and students wishing to find case studies meeting particular criteria.