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Hearing Impairment Service

Hearing Impairment Service

The Hearing Impairment Service is a Newcastle City Council Service which supports babies, children and young people 0-25 years old who are deaf or have a hearing impairment.

We are a team of qualified Teachers of the Deaf and specialist Learning Support Assistants who have undertaken specialist training. We aim to give children and young people with a diagnosed hearing loss the opportunity to achieve their very best. Please see the introduction video below or read on:

What we do?

Peripatetic Teaching and Support

  • As a centrally funded service, the peripatetic strand of the team support the educational, social and emotional needs of children and young people (and their families) from birth to 25 years who have a diagnosed hearing impairment.
  • Advice, information, assessment and teaching are provided to children and young people in their home, pre-school, nursery and school placement. This includes special school provision.
  • The majority of our work takes place in schools city wide on a peripatetic basis. Specific work also takes place with pre-school children and their families in partnership with other children’s services and health professionals.
  • With parental permission, information is received from, and shared with, other relevant professionals and services.
  • The nature and frequency of visits (of which there is agreed criteria) varies accord­ing to the circumstances and needs of each child.
  • Specialist audiological equipment such as radio aids are provided jointly by Health and Education. Education purchase and maintain the transmitter. Audiology purchase and maintain the receivers. Decisions regarding the provision of the radio aid equipment are made after a trial of the equipment and assessment of benefit to the child.

Referral

  • Referrals are from the Ear Nose and Throat Department and the Audiology Department at the Freeman Hospital.
  • Qualified Teachers of the Deaf will carry out listening assessments and observations in schools. This is upon request by colleagues in the Ear Nose and Throat Department or the Audiology Department.
  • If you have any concerns regarding your child’s hearing please contact your health visitor, school nurse or GP first.
  • If referred directly from Audiology, the child or young person will have a medical diagnosis of deafness/hearing impairment.
  • Babies identified via the ‘Newborn Hearing Screening Programme’ (NHSP) will be contacted within 48 hours and offered a visit within 5 working days
  • Referrals received outside of NHSP are seen within 2 weeks of the initial referral.

Hearing Impairment Additionally Resourced Provisions (HIARPs)

Some of our Teachers of the Deaf and Learning Support Assistants teach and support pupils in Hearing Impaired Additionally Resourced Provisions (HIARPs). As part of a range of provision Children and Young People (CYP) with a hearing impairment/deaf may attend an Additionally Resourced Provision based within Benton Park Primary School, Broadwood Primary School and Jesmond Park Academy.

  • The HIARPs provide a base where pupils receive specialist support as part of an individual educational programme. This addresses their hearing, communication, language, listening and social and emotional needs together with any additional difficulties.
  • The ARPs also provide access to specialist audiological equipment and training for the children to use it.
  • The ARPs provide accommodation for individual and small group teaching as and when appropriate. This is in an environment adapted and modified to meet the needs of pupils with a hearing impairment.
  • Pupils have access to a continuum of provision from individual support to full inclusion within mainstream classes. The provision is an inclusive part of the school and the pupils are integral members of the school community.
  • Please refer to the documents on the right hand side which details the learning offer in the event of a long term school closure.

Children's Hearing Services Working Group (CHSWG)

The Newcastle CHSWG is made up of parents and carers of deaf /hearing impaired children and young people, professionals who work with the families from health, education, social services and representatives from the voluntary sector. The aim of the group is to ensure that the different services are working well together to provide the best possible support and outcomes for children, young people and their families across the city.

Time / Date Details

Monday to Friday 8.30am – 4.30pm

We work into schools and settings during school term time

 

Costs

This Peripatetic Service is free and funded by the Local Authority

Availability

Age Ranges: 0 to 19

Referral required? Yes

Who to contact

Rebecca O’Leary
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