| SKILL | WHAT TO DO Identifying and supporting need | ASKING FOR HELP Starting Assess, Plan, Do, Review | WHEN MORE HELP IS NEEDED Targeted support |
| Hearing Impairment (HI) | Individual child: Concerns about a child’s hearing should be raised with parents/carers and a referral should be made to the local Audiologist and Hearing Impaired (HI) team. Information for staff and parents/carers can be found at National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) and RNID. Awareness of the child’s needs and how key developmental milestones are affected by hearing loss, particularly communication, languageacquisition and 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 or balance. Development 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 setting. The school/Early Years setting must monitor progress in this respect. Make basic adaptations to activities and materials to facilitate access for a hearing-impaired child. Follow advice about how to support and include young children who are deaf or hearing impaired in the Early Years setting. Seek advice from the Hearing Impaired (HI) team on effects of hearing loss and classroom strategies. Carry out an assessment of room acoustics and make reasonable adjustments by adapting the physical environment and reducing background noise. Staff awareness of areas of potential risk associated with childhood hearing impairment e.g. social and emotional impact, reduced opportunity for incidental learning. Involvement of parents/carers and provision of information relevant to them. Use resources available at Council for Disabled Children. Considerations for supported transitions between rooms, and how to plan and prepare for these e.g. allowing the child to have extra visits to the new setting and ensure transfer of information. Development of a transition plan for children starting pre-school or moving between Nursery and Reception. An example plan can be found at Twinkl. | Teaching practice which facilitates access to the curriculum, social and emotional development and nursery participation. Involve the Hearing Impaired (HI) team in completion of baseline assessments and development of Play Plans. School/Early Years setting must access specific deaf-related training provided by the Hearing Impaired (HI) team. Access to wider training for staff e.g. through the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS). Early Years practitioners must implement advice as suggested by the Qualified Teacher of the Deaf (QToD). Provide access to a quiet space for Qualified Teacher of the Deaf (QToD), specialist teaching assistant, audiologist session or visit. Curriculum plan reflects levels of achievement and must include individually focused Play Plan. Specific interventions for language development, speaking and listening e.g. Lip reading, Auditory Verbal Therapy, Natural Aural Approach, Cued Speech, Sign Language, Total Communication Approach. Opportunities for explanation, clarification and reinforcement of session content and language. Must have attention to seating, lighting and acoustics of the setting. Opportunities for individual and small group work in a quiet room. A key person, who is trained in working with children with a hearing impairment and understands hearing equipment, to: Reinforce session content. Deliver modified Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum activities. Support language development. Daily check of child’s hearing aids. Seek advice from external agencies e.g. Speech and Language Therapist (SLT), Cochlear Implant Programmes, as appropriate. Use of equipment and technology, including use of sound field speaker systems as appropriate to meet assessed needs. Also seek advice about how to link equipment to Interactive White Boards, computers, iPads etc. | Key worker from the Hearing Impaired (HI) team identified from initial audiology referral, who will link with the setting, parents/carers and professionals. Home visits, as required, arranged in agreement with families for newly diagnosed deaf babies up to school entry. Attendance at audiology clinic appointments by a Qualified Teacher of the Deaf (QToD) to support families through diagnosis and hearing aid fitting. Support by a Qualified Teacher of the Deaf (QToD) through the referral process for cochlear implantation. Access to Radio Aid equipment for use at home and nursery until school entry. Advice and guidance on suitable technology and apps e.g. through the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS). Specifically devised programmes targeting attending, listening and vocalising on the advice of the Hearing Impaired (HI) team and following Early Years research findings e.g. through the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS). Clear monitoring and recording process e.g. Deaf Babies and Children’s Development Journal- Early Years. Liaising with other, external agencies for advice and guidance to offer a multi-agency approach. Regular reviews of nursery-based interventions to ensure progression and adaption, if necessary. Qualified Teacher of the Deaf (QToD) providing individual support sessions based on National Sensory Impairment Partnership (NatSIP) criteria. Access to support from an additional person in the setting to facilitate and support, providing opportunities to model: Communication Language Play skills Inference Circle time Semantic links The theory of mind Pragmatics |