This study focuses on the ability of deaf children to predict the behaviours of other people, based on an understanding of their beliefs. An unexpected transfer task and a deceptive box task were used with a group of 55 severely/profoundly deaf children. Results reiterate the findings of other studies that many deaf children are grossly delayed in this important area of social functioning compared to their hearing counterparts. Deaf children of deaf parents/carers fared better than deaf children with hearing parents/carers. Implications for early intervention and education programmes are discussed. (Contains 2 tables.)