After 3 decades, Susan Daniels steps down as CEO of National Deaf Children’s Society

Susan Daniels OBE, the long-standing chief executive of the National Deaf Children’s Society, will be stepping down in July 2025 after an incredible 33 years of dedicated service. Her leadership has shaped the organisation into the leading charity for deaf children and their families in the UK.

Transformative leadership over three decades

Since taking the reins in 1992, Daniels has overseen monumental growth and impactful changes at the charity. Under her guidance, the organisation’s income grew from £1 million to over £33 million, enabling it to support countless families and deaf children across the country.

Her pivotal contributions include championing the introduction of the NHS Newborn Hearing Screening Programme and advocating for early intervention for children with hearing loss. These initiatives have transformed the landscape for deaf children, giving them a better start in life and improved long-term outcomes.

Before joining the National Deaf Children’s Society, Daniels served as Head of Education, Employment, and Training and later Head of Policy and Research at the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID). Her remarkable contributions to the sector were recognised in 2006 when she was awarded an OBE for services to deaf children and their families.

A vision for Deaf children

As a profoundly deaf individual, Susan Daniels has always believed that deaf children can achieve anything their hearing peers can, provided they receive the right support from the beginning. This belief has been at the heart of the charity’s 2023-2028 strategy, Every Moment Counts, which aims to reach every deaf child whenever and wherever they need support.

Beyond her role at the charity, Daniels is also the Chair of Groundbreakers, an informal network of female voluntary sector CEOs, and a governance trainer for Civil Society – roles she plans to continue after stepping down.

Commenting on her decision to leave, Daniels said:

“I have loved every minute of my time at the National Deaf Children’s Society and am immensely proud and privileged to have had the opportunity to lead the charity. But with a fantastic team in place, it’s the right time to pass on the mantle and embark on a new chapter, both for the organisation and me personally.”

A legacy of impact

Dominic Holton, Chair of Trustees at the National Deaf Children’s Society, expressed his deep appreciation for Daniels’ transformative leadership:

“Warmest thanks to Susan for everything she has given and achieved over the years. Under her leadership, the charity has been instrumental in driving significant change in the landscape for deaf children, transforming the lives of many thousands of families.

“It has been a privilege for my Board colleagues and I to work alongside Susan, where we have been continually inspired by her strength and clarity of vision, alongside her incredible drive and commitment. We will miss her wisdom, her warmth and her unwavering energy. She should be incredibly proud of her many achievements, and we wish her all the very best on her next adventure.”

Looking to the future

Susan Daniels will officially leave the organisation in the summer of 2025. Recruitment is already underway to find a successor who can continue the organisation’s vital work and uphold the legacy of a leader who has made an indelible impact on the lives of deaf children and their families.