The Deaf and Hearing Support Team work with children with all degrees of hearing loss, from mild hearing loss to profound deafness in just one or both ears.
We provide support for children and young people with a diagnosed hearing loss or deafness from initial diagnosis until they leave education or turn 25 years old, whichever is sooner.
We also provide support for their families, significant adults and staff in their settings, such as:
- homes
- early years settings
- schools
- higher education
- further education and audiology
- audiology
All children and young people are supported by a Qualified Teacher of the Deaf (TOD), as well as specialist Teaching Assistants.
We support children and young people in line with their chosen communication method, e.g. speech and/or sign language.
We provide support and advice on listening and language development, use of assistive listening technology (hearing aids, cochlear implants), creating good listening environments and other assistive listening technology such as radio aids.
In addition, we support the social and emotional wellbeing of the child or young person through the offer of peer group and deaf model activities or by signposting to local and national peer group and deaf role model activities.
Our TODs signpost the children and their families to other voluntary bodies, to access social activities, information and events, such as Lollipop and the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS).