Author: manning

The Role of the Team

Bury Council
Children’s Services

The Sensory Needs Team - Hearing works with deaf children aged
0 – 16 and their families.

The team provides help and
information about deafness
and the impact it has on
children’s learning and
development.
The team supports children
and their families in their
homes, nurseries and schools.

The Sensory Needs Team– Hearing
is part of Bury Council’s
Inclusion and Vulnerable Children’s Service
The Team aims to deliver an integrated service in
partnership with the:
Additional Needs Team
Children’s Services Social Care Teams
Portage Team
Special Educational Needs Team
Sensory Needs Team - Vision
Health professionals

Sensory Needs Team

3, Knowsley Place,
Duke Street ,
Bury,
BL9 0EJ

Telephone 0161 253 7159
Email j.hopkinson@bury.gov.uk

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Tel. 0161 253 7159

The Team

The Sensory Needs Team - Hearing is made up of specialist teachers of the deaf and special support assistants.
The team works in partnership with a specialist speech and language therapist.

Support for Children

The team supports deaf children from the point of diagnosis of a permanent hearing impairment until they leave school. This is usually at the age of sixteen.

The type and level of support each child receives varies according to their individual needs.
Support for children may include:
individual or small group teaching;
provision of specialist equipment such as radio hearing aids;
on going assessment of children’s language and literacy development;
monitoring how children use hearing aids and cochlear implants, both at home and at school.

Support for Families

The team aims to empower families to make informed choices on behalf of their children.
The team provides information to families about all aspects of deafness and its impact on children’s language, educational, social and emotional development.
The team supports families to:
help their children make good use of hearing aids or cochlear implant devices;
learn about the different communication methods used by deaf people including speech and sign language;
consider all available options when choosing schools for their children;
apply for benefits and services;
make contact with other families to share experiences and ideas;
access a range of information and services available from regional and national organisations.

Support for Schools

The majority of deaf children attend their local mainstream schools. Some children attend Elton Community Primary School in Bury where there are extra resources and provision for deaf children. A small number of children attend special schools.
The team works in partnership with schools

All children who use hearing aids or cochlear implants will have a designated teacher of the deaf who will visit them in school.
The team works in partnership with schools to help them include deaf pupils in all aspects of school life.
Support may include:
providing information and training for mainstream staff;
checking hearing aids and specialist equipment such as radio hearing aids;
support teaching both in class and on an individual basis;
contributing to the assessment and monitoring of pupils’ progress;
providing advice about special arrangements for SATs and GCSE examinations.