The Elizabeth Foundation

What The Elizabeth Foundation does

The Elizabeth Foundation is a registered UK charity (no. 293835, founded 1981 in Cosham, Hampshire) that provides specialist early-intervention education, audiology, and speech and language therapy for babies, toddlers, and preschool children (birth to approximately five years) with all degrees of hearing loss, together with family support. Its core in-person services run from a purpose-built Family Centre in Hampshire with acoustically treated classrooms and a teacher-pupil ratio capped at eight children per class, and have held Ofsted 'Outstanding' Early Years status in successive inspections (most recent April 2016).

Its service offering is built on a proprietary Multi Sensory Oral Approach developed in-house over four decades, delivered by specialist Teachers of the Deaf, HCPC- and RCSLT-registered Speech and Language Therapists, and experienced early-years practitioners. To extend reach beyond the Hampshire catchment, the charity operates the free Let's Listen and Talk online programme and, since January 2025, a companion mobile app on Android and iOS that deliver video guidance, activity demonstrations, and structured courses to families of deaf children across the UK and Ireland.

The organisation is a non-profit funded entirely through charitable income: individual and corporate donations, trust and foundation grants, fundraising events, legacy gifts, payroll giving, online shop sales, and partnerships such as BBC Children in Need. All services are provided free of charge to families, with the NHS newborn hearing screening pathway — operated through a formal audiology partnership with Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust — serving as the principal referral channel.

Name

The Elizabeth Foundation

Legal name

The Elizabeth Foundation

Website

https://elizabeth-foundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Elizabeth Foundation is a UK charity providing specialist education, audiology, and speech therapy for deaf preschool children (birth to five) and their families, delivered at its Hampshire Family Centre and via the nationwide Let's Listen and Talk online programme and mobile app.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Needs Deaf Education Services

NAICS

Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (621340), Child Care Services (6244), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Hearing Impairment & Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing Inclusive Childcare (HSAAAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Speech & Language Therapy (Early Intervention) (EDACAFAB), Communication Support Childcare (AAC, speech/language-informed) (HSAAAIAH), Vision & Hearing Early Intervention Services (EDACAFAN)

Keywords

• Deaf education services
• Preschool hearing impairment support
• Speech and language therapy
• Audiology screening services
• Deaf children's charity

Headquarters

HQ city

Cosham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Giving: Individual donations from the public, one-time and recurring, processed online via Stripe payment gateway and by phone.
2. Fundraising Events and Activities: Revenue from events including the Summer Fayre, Go the Distance challenges, sponsored events, prize draw clubs, and community fundraising activities.
3. Trust and Foundation Grants: Grant funding from charitable trusts and foundations (managed by Deputy Chief Executive who coordinates applications from grant-making trusts).
4. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorship: Corporate supporters such as Glanvilles LLP who chose the charity as 'Charity of the Year', raising funds through events and activities.
5. Legacies and Bequests: Leave a gift in your Will programme with free will writing service offered to supporters.
6. Online Shop: E-commerce sales of event tickets, raffle tickets, clothing, accessories, and seasonal merchandise through the charity's online shop.
7. Payroll Giving and CAF Accounts: Workplace giving schemes allowing employees to donate directly from wages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Elizabeth Foundation is a registered charity that provides specialist education, audiology, and therapy services to support deaf babies and preschool children (birth to 5 years) in developing listening and spoken language skills, using its proprietary Multi Sensory Oral Approach. Services are delivered through Ofsted 'Outstanding' in-person classes at its Family Centre in Hampshire, a nationwide free online programme, mobile apps, and an NHS audiology partnership, all provided at no cost to families.

Product overview

The Elizabeth Foundation offers a comprehensive suite of services for deaf preschool children and their families, built around their core 'Multi Sensory Oral Approach' to developing listening and spoken language skills. The primary digital offerings include the Let's Listen and Talk Online Programme (a free web-based home learning platform) and the Let's Listen and Talk mobile App (available on Android and iOS), which provide videos, guidance papers, and activity demonstrations. Physical services include Ofsted 'Outstanding' rated education services at their Family Centre in Hampshire (baby, toddler, and preschool classes), audiology services (in partnership with Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust), and specialist Speech and Language Therapy. Additional offerings include information resources such as Foundations for Communication articles, British Sign Language vocabulary videos, parent education programmes, and teaching resources for professionals. The organisation also produces video stories and publishes a Listen! newsletter.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Let's Listen and Talk: Online home learning and support programme for families of deaf babies and children, providing educational resources and guidance for developing listening and spoken language skills.

Products and services

• Let's Listen and Talk Online Programme Free online home-learning and support programme for families of deaf babies and children across the UK and Ireland who cannot access in-person services, offering courses, videos, guidance papers, and activity demonstrations to develop listening and spoken language.
• Let's Listen and Talk App Free mobile application for Android and iOS providing mobile access to the Let's Listen and Talk programme's videos, guidance papers, and activity demonstrations for families and professionals supporting deaf children.
• Audiology Services Children's hearing screening and testing services delivered in partnership with Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust for babies and children with suspected or diagnosed hearing loss.
• Education Services (Baby, Toddler, Preschool Classes) Ofsted 'Outstanding' nursery education for babies, toddlers and preschoolers with all degrees of deafness (birth to 4 years) at the Hampshire Family Centre, using the proprietary Multi Sensory Oral Approach and delivered by specialist Teachers of the Deaf in acoustically treated classrooms of up to eight children.
• Speech and Language Therapy Services Specialist in-house Speech and Language Therapy services at the Family Centre for deaf children up to 16 years old, delivered by HCPC and RCSLT registered therapists.
• Foundations for Communication Series of information articles on communication development for deaf children, providing parents and professionals with knowledge to support spoken language progression.
• British Sign Language Resources British Sign Language vocabulary videos and an online BSL dictionary providing signs for a range of topics to support families and professionals working with deaf children.
• Parent Education Programme Educational programmes and resources for parents of deaf children, equipping caregivers with practical strategies to support their child's communication development at home.
• Teaching Resources for Professionals Resources and materials for Teachers of the Deaf, audiologists, and other professionals working with deaf children, supporting professional practice in deaf education.
• Listen! Groups Specialist group support sessions for children with unaided deafness and children with additional and more complex needs, delivered at the Hampshire Family Centre.

Quantifiable outcome

• Children significantly narrow the gap with their hearing peers in listening, speech, and language development
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, foundational, significant and minor.

• Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Elizabeth Foundation works in partnership with Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust to provide children's hearing screening and testing services (audiology services). This partnership enables the delivery of audiology services at the Family Centre, serving as a critical referral and service-delivery channel for families at the point of diagnosis.
• John Tracy Center, Los AngelesfoundationalStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Elizabeth Foundation was inspired by the John Tracy Center in Los Angeles, which founders Shirley and David Metherell visited before establishing the charity in 1981. The John Tracy Center's approach influenced the development of The Elizabeth Foundation's own Multi Sensory Oral Approach.
• Speech and Language UKsignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Elizabeth Foundation holds Early Talk accreditation from Speech and Language UK, demonstrating adherence to recognised standards in early communication and language development support for young children.
• Glanvilles LLPminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGlanvilles LLP, a full-service law firm with offices in Chichester, Fareham, and Havant, chose The Elizabeth Foundation as their Charity of the Year for 2017/18. They raised £1,765 through the Great South Run (£565) and a charity quiz (£1,200), and included the charity in networking events to raise awareness.
• The Beethoven Fund for Deaf ChildrenfoundationalStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Beethoven Fund for Deaf Children was founded by Ann Rachlin MBE and was incorporated into The Elizabeth Foundation in 2003. This merger combined Ann Rachlin's expertise and the Fund's resources with The Elizabeth Foundation, strengthening the charity's mission and capacity.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• AG Bell International: International nonprofit supporting listening and spoken language for deaf and hard-of-hearing children, offering accreditation and professional development. Comparable through its spoken-language philosophy for deaf children, though primarily a membership/advocacy body rather than direct service provider.

Direct peers

• John Tracy Center: Los Angeles-based, globally pioneering nonprofit providing free parent-centred services for young deaf children to learn to listen and speak. Direct methodology peer and historical inspiration for The Elizabeth Foundation (founders visited before 1981 founding).
• Listening and Spoken Language UK (LSL UK): UK organisation supporting professionals working in listening and spoken language practice with deaf children. Direct methodology peer aligned with the foundation's Multi Sensory Oral Approach and family-centred listening-and-spoken-language philosophy.
• Auditory Verbal UK: UK charity delivering Auditory Verbal Therapy to deaf children and their families, with a strong listening and spoken language focus. Most direct functional peer given overlapping therapy methodology, family-centred delivery model and target population of young deaf children learning to listen and talk.

Broad incumbents

• National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS): The UK's largest charity for deaf children, covering a much wider age range (0–25) and broader scope including campaigning, family support and information. Comparable as a UK deaf-children charity serving overlapping families, though much larger and not focused exclusively on preschool spoken-language development.
• Mary Hare School: UK residential and day school for deaf children in Newbury offering specialist education and audiology services. Comparable specialist deaf-education provider in the UK, though serving primarily school-age rather than preschool children.
• Royal College for Deaf Education, Birmingham (RCD): UK specialist education provider for deaf pupils offering tailored learning across age groups. Comparable as a specialist UK deaf-education provider with formal accreditation, though broader scope than The Elizabeth Foundation's preschool focus.
• Hearing Dogs for Deaf People: UK charity supporting deaf people and their families through hearing dog partnerships and family services. Comparable as a UK deaf-focused charity with family engagement and fundraising model, though focused on assistance dogs rather than education/therapy.

Regional players

• University of Southampton Auditory Implant Service (USAIS): UK NHS-funded auditory implant service providing cochlear implant assessment, surgery and rehabilitation including therapy for children. Overlapping beneficiary population and therapy services; one of the foundation's SLTs (Kirsty Carey) also works there, evidencing direct coordination.

Others

• National Cochlear Implant Users Association (NCIUA): UK charity supporting cochlear implant users and their families, with strong overlap in the cochlear-implanted preschool population served by The Elizabeth Foundation. Comparable as a deaf-children advocacy and support organisation, though focused on implant users rather than spoken-language education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/elizabethfoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/elizabeth.foundation
• Xx.com/Elizabeth_found

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Elizabeth Foundation