The Ear Foundation was established in 1989 to bring cochlear implantation for deaf children to the UK. The Nottingham Paediatric Cochlear Implant Programme, part of Queen's Medical Centre University Hospital NHS Trust, established the first dedicated programme for children in the UK, supported by The Ear Foundation The National Health Service (NHS) now funds the clinical service of implantation, and The Ear Foundation, therefore, focuses its work on the essential long-term support needed by implanted children and their families. A further important aspect is the provision of information and the training of professionals, without which the implant system would be ineffective in the long-term.