Concerns about a young person’s hearing should be raised with parents/carers and a referral should be made to the local Audiologist and Hearing Impaired Team (Sensory Needs Team – Hearing Impairment). 

Information for staff and parents/carers can be found at NDCS and Action Hearing Loss.

Awareness of the young person’s needs and how key developmental milestones and skills are affected by hearing loss, particularly in communication, language acquisition, play and fine and gross motor skills N.B. some forms of hearing loss are associated with balance and delayed milestones e.g. late to walk/sit/balance issues.

Creation of a One-Page Profile which is shared with all staff.    

Assessment by Qualified Teacher of the Deaf (QToD) and report distributed to key staff.

Recommendations of the report implemented in the setting to enable full inclusion within the school and the National Curriculum teaching and learning.

The curriculum includes examples of diversity.

Consider a whole-school approach to signing (e.g. learning topic-specific signs in class or assemblies).

Where appropriate the young person may receive a short-term intervention:

·         Model suggested strategies;

·         Train staff at the setting;

·         Or direct work from either a Qualified Teacher of the Deaf or Specialist Teaching Assistant including Assessment and obtaining the young person’s voice.

Gather the views of the young person, using person-centred approaches regarding their opinions and preferred strategies.

The school must monitor progress in this respect.

Make basic adaptations to activities and materials to facilitate access for a young person with HI.

Repeat instructions to check understanding and reinforce messages. Use of multisensory approaches to all teaching across all subjects such as the use of visual resources.

Use appropriate language when asking direct questions and allow additional time to respond. Repeat contributions from other young people if needed.

Follow advice about how to support and include young people who are deaf or hearing impaired in primary or secondary school.

Seek advice from the HI Team on effects of hearing loss and classroom strategies. Staff to receive training from the HI team, as required.

Carry out an assessment of room acoustics and make reasonable adjustments by adapting the physical environment.

Use soft furnishing and fabric backed boards to minimise echo/vibration.

Consider background noise and reduce where possible, e.g. close windows and doors.

Pay attention to seating, position of the teacher and lighting to enable lip reading.

Review seating plans and make sure the young person can clearly see the teacher/speakers and be close to the source of sound.

Staff awareness of areas of potential risk associated with childhood hearing impairment e.g. social and emotional impact, reduced opportunity for incidental learning in primary and secondary school.

Involvement of parents/carers and provision of information relevant to them e.g. using resources available at Council for Disabled Children.

Considerations for good transitions between stages of education, and how to plan and prepare for these e.g. allowing the young person to have extra visits to the new school and ensure transfer of information. 

Development of a transition plan for young person moving between year groups, key stages, primary and secondary school and Post 16 provision.

Sensory Needs Team – HI to provide transition support visits to new educational placements as required.