AIM: The purpose of the present study is to understand the perspective of hearing parents with deaf children concerning the Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS) and how the communication with their child occurs in the family environment. METHOD: The study was conducted through semi structured interviews with 8 parents of d deaf children attending a service program with a bilingual approach in the Rehabilitation Center in São Paulo State. The criterion for inclusion was to be a parent of a 6-10-year-old deaf child. This study did not take into account the cause of the deafness, the degree of deafness, or the amount of time that their child had been attending the institution. The study was characterized as a qualitative research and approved by the Ethics Committee of the Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Universidade Estadual de Campinas (FCM- UNICAMP) (São Paulo, Brazil). RESULTS: In the discussion, most parents affirmed they exclusively used LIBRAS, which they referred to and recognized as a fundamental modality for their child to express himself or herself and to be "heard." They furthermore argued that it is through LIBRAS the children are developing themselves. Although both parents participate the LIBRAS classes in the institution, in practice the mother in most cases is responsible for learning it, thereby acquiring the role of interpreter at home since the other family members have some trouble communicating with the child. CONCLUSION: Parent participants believe that LIBRAS is fundamentally important for the development of their children; however, in everyday life, other family members do not communicate with the deaf child through LIBRAS.
