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Hearing Support Specialist teachers

Hearing Support Specialist Teachers

The Hearing Support (HS) team is part of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) service. It comprises Specialist Teachers (Teachers of the Deaf) to support the educational and personal development of children and young people (CYP) with hearing loss.

The team primarily offers an advisory service and operates during term-time only.

Who can the Hearing Support team support

The team support CYP who:

  • Are aged 0 to 25 years
  • Have a clinically diagnosed hearing loss
  • May or may not have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
  • Meet the criteria outlined in the NatSIP Eligibility Framework

Support the team offers CYPs and their families

Support from the team can include:

  • Explaining audiological information and liaising with Audiology/ENT services.
  • Helping families understand the implications of hearing loss.
  • Supporting the development of listening skills.
  • Aiding language and communication development.
  • Signposting or providing access to British Sign Language (BSL) support, where appropriate.
  • Assisting with the use and maintenance of personal and specialist hearing equipment.
  • Loaning specialist equipment as needed.
  • Facilitating parent/carer support groups for preschool-aged children.
  • Helping families connect with other support agencies.
  • Providing transition support. For example, to preschool, school, college, or university. 
  • Attending multi-disciplinary meetings to support the CYP and their family.
  • Encouraging participation in leisure and extracurricular activities.

Support for settings

Support for settings can include:

  • Explaining the nature and educational implications of hearing loss.
  • Advising on the impact of hearing loss on social and emotional development.
  • Supporting access to the curriculum.
  • Recommending classroom strategies and acoustic improvements.
  • Observing in the learning environment to inform inclusive practices.
  • Collaborating with staff to assess and monitor educational needs.
  • Providing training on managing and maintaining specialist equipment.
  • Delivering bespoke training sessions (formal and informal).
  • Advising on High Needs Block Funding (HNBF) requests for EHCP assessments.
  • Supporting target setting at SEN Support or EHCP level.
  • Contributing to annual reviews, SEN Support meetings, and multi-agency meetings.
  • Advising on access arrangements for internal and external exams.

How to make a referral

Referrals can be made by: 

Referrals must include medical evidence of diagnosed hearing loss. In most cases, it will consist of an audiology report.  

Contacting the Hearing Support team

You can contact the Hearing Support team by:

Glue-ear

The team give general advice and resources to settings to support CYP with mild deafness, who don't use hearing aids. This includes deafness due to regular ear infections ('glue ear') that cause fluctuating conductive deafness. In some cases, we might make visits to the CYP, as appropriate and in line with changing clinical needs.

In some cases, there are CYP who:

  • Have long-term or permanent deafness. For example, mild unilateral deafness, mild sensorineural or conductive deafness.
  • Use hearing aids.
  • Are making expected progress in education.

In these cases, phone or video consultations might be offered to settings, rather than physical visits. This is only offered on a case-by-case basis and is subject to review.

Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)

The Hearing Support Team does not provide direct support for CYP with APD who have normal hearing levels.

If a CYP has both a diagnosed hearing loss and APD, the team can provide support for the hearing loss component only.

For more information: 

The Local Area Position Statement for APD aims to ensure a consistent approach among professionals and reduce uncertainty for families.

Buckinghamshire Integrated Sensory Service (BISS)  

Buckinghamshire Council partners with BucksVision to deliver the Buckinghamshire Integrated Sensory Service (BISS). This service supports children, young people, and adults with hearing, sight, or dual sensory loss.

BISS services include:

  • Assessments to ensure safety and wellbeing
  • Enablement services to promote independence
  • Equipment assessments and provision
  • Habilitation services for independent living skills
  • Information and advice for individuals, carers, and community partners
  • Registration for sensory loss to access services and benefits

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