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Service for Deaf and Hearing Impaired Children

A Council-run education service to help with hearing loss.

Supports children and young people: 0-25 years

Referral reason: Concerns about a child’s hearing in the classroom.

People involved: Specialist qualified teachers who specialise in Hearing loss (QToD), specialist teaching assistants, educational audiologists, Deaf instructors, resource technicians, Audiology (NHS)

Offer: Advisory support to educational settings on inclusion strategies, including the physical environment, use of specialist equipment, teaching strategies and differentiation. Monitoring visits or direct teaching support to child or young person. 

Support for families is part of the offer due to working with very young children right through to adulthood.  The team build strong links with carers and families which helps to maintain a supportive role when working together.

The service also has integrated resources at Silverdale School, Angram Bank Primary School, Lower Meadow Primary School and Greystones Primary School for students with hearing loss.

We support transitions for children and young people with a sensory impairment.  This is at all key stages of their educational journey.

Everyone’s experience in a setting will be different. Transitions are planned with the child or young person at the centre.  The plans are based on an individuals’ unique circumstances and may include:

  • extended visits to the new setting
  • habilitation support
  • summer school
  • activities with their new peer group before attending the setting

We also work with very young children to settle them into nursery and pre-school settings.  We work with older students at post-16/18 going into further education.

We have strong links with a range of settings. This helps us to plan appropriate and effective transition packages.

Useful links

Supporting deaf young people | Transition plan meeting

How to refer

Referrals usually come from Hearing Services, Sheffield Children’s Hospital.

Schools and education settings can also refer (for example, if a child is new to the city) as long as they have parental consent. (See referral and consent to share information letter)

The Service endeavours to see new referrals within 15 working days of referral.

Contact: Rachel Dickens, Peripatetic Team Leader

Rachel.dickens@sheffield.gov.uk
0114 273 6410

Available under the Links and documents section on this page

  • Graduated response teacher toolkit for hearing impaired
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