A DEAFNESS charity based in Northwich is working with BBC Children in Need to publish a children's book about managing deafness.

North west charity Deafness Support Network (DSN), which has its headquarters in London Road, has been given a funding boost from the national appeal to teach families of children with a hearing loss.

As part of DSN's ‘I’m Here’ project copies of the book – ‘That’s Better!’ – will be given to families of deaf children across Cheshire, Halton and Warrington to help them better understand their needs.

Pam Craige, ‘I’m Here’ project coordinator, said: "Parents and siblings of deaf children often struggle to comprehend the everyday challenges they face, especially if there’s no history of hearing loss in the family.

"We’re working with families to help them communicate better to prevent isolation and improve confidence."

‘That’s Better!’ depicts everyday family scenes such as breakfast, going to the park and a trip to the supermarket to highlight potential problems and show how they can be overcome.

The project is all about making simple changes to the family routine to help appease these challenges.

Pam said: "Turning the TV off during meal times or choosing to use the quieter local grocery store instead of noisy supermarkets for example, to avoid unnecessary background noise, can make a huge difference to a deaf child."

A spokesperson for BBC Children in Need said: "We are delighted to help fund the production of this book through I'm Hear!

"The work they do makes a real difference to local young lives, and we're proud to support them in doing so.

"'That's Better' will help improve communication between deaf children and their families, bringing fun to the learning process."

Airbus and VIPs have also contributed funding towards the book.