Weather disruption
Winter weather is causing disruption to services in some parts of the county. Find out what services may be affected in your area.
The Hearing Support Service (HSS) works in partnership with schools and families. We support the inclusion and achievement of deaf children. We work with children and young people up to the age of 18. This is up to age 25 for young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) if they are attending an educational placement.
We work closely with the schools:
and offer a range of support depending on the child’s level of hearing loss and learning needs.
Support for schools includes:
Find out more about choosing a school.
All children who have a diagnosed hearing loss and use:
are supported in school by a specialist Advisory Teacher from the HSS.
The number and nature of visits are matched to learning needs. It will include advice and training for schools.
The range of support for children, families and schools may include:
Find out more about preparing your child for primary school.
Moving to a new school, can be unsettling for a pupil with hearing loss. This can be even harder with a transfer to secondary school. HSS guidance helps to achieve a smooth transition. We do this by supporting the pupil and new school with a transition plan which may include:
Every child and young person has the right to access good quality teaching and learning at their secondary school. Pupils with a hearing impairment will face extra challenges. This is if we compare them to their hearing peers as they progress through secondary education. Most pupils at year 7 and above are independent users of their hearing devices.
They are guided through the HSS Audiology Curriculum to:
HSS provides support to secondary pupils based on their learning needs.
This may include:
Find out more about secondary school transfer and how to prepare your child.
Most hearing-impaired children attend their local school and do not have an EHCP. Some children need extra support to access learning at mainstream school. They may have an EHCP. Children with complex needs may attend a special school. This will have specialist facilities and staff who can meet the learning needs of the child.
Your child may need extra support to access learning. Your Advisory Teacher and school setting will help with the assessment process. They will also provide on-going support through Annual Reviews of the EHCP.
Further details about EHCPs is available on our Local Offer pages and the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) SEND Local Offer.
The HSS provides transition and ongoing support appropriate to the young person’s needs while promoting independence and self-advocacy. Find out more about post 16 support. (LINK TO Post-16 and Preparation for Adulthood)