Sensory Support Team - Hearing

What our service does

We aim to improve the educational and life outcomes for deaf babies, children and young people. We provide information, advice and support regarding educational management and all aspects of deafness, including language and communication, listening equipment and social and emotional wellbeing.

We work closely with babies, children and young people, their families/carers, staff in educational settings and other key professionals in the NHS and Social Care.

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Where service is located and the areas it covers

The service covers both Haringey and Enfield Local Authorities. It offers visits to pre-school children and their families/carers in their home (or place of their choice), pre-school settings, primary, special, and secondary schools.

All Haringey and Enfield deaf children and young people will have an allocated Advisory Qualified Teacher of the Deaf who will work with families, school staff and other professionals to support the needs of identified children.

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Who our service provides for

We provide advice and support to children and young people with a temporary or permanent hearing loss. This can range from a mild to profound hearing loss in one or both ears.

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How a child or young person can start using the service

Referrals come to the service either through the New-born Hearing Screening Programme, or the Audiology Departments at St Ann’s Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital and The Royal National Ear Nose and Throat Hospital.

Referrals can be made via other professionals such as health visitors, GP, school staff with family/carer consent.

Parents can access advice or support by contacting the service directly:

Bharti Solanki – Sensory Support Manager

Email
sensorysupport@haringey.gov.uk

Telephone
020 8489 8338 | 07929 781581

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Eligibility for our service

The support we offer is determined by the national eligibility criteria to determine the frequency of visits for deaf children and young people.

The level of support is reviewed and adjusted regularly in consultation with the Advisory Qualified Teacher of the Deaf, families/carers and other professionals.

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How we communicate and engage with service users 

We support children and their families/carers by attending various meeting such as team around the child, educational planning, and annual review meeting. We offer professional advice towards an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

We have service leaflets and flyers which are available in hardcopy from the team or in the audiology departments.

We use questionnaires/surveys to obtain the views of parents and carers and to improve our service.

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How accessible our service is

Our service consists of:

• Advisory Qualified Teachers of the Deaf
• a Deaf Educational Instructor, whose first language is British Sign Language.  

Advisory Teachers of the Deaf on the team have British Sign Language qualifications. We provide interpreters whenever needed.

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Staff training

All advisory teachers have qualified teacher status and have an additional ‘Teacher of the Deaf’ qualification.

All team members regularly update their knowledge and skills through continuous professional development.

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Contact details 

Get in touch if you need further information, or to raise concerns or complaints.

A service user who wishes to raise a concern can contact us directly by telephone, email and/or letter. If a parent prefers, they can ask the SEN Coordinator (SENCo) to contact us or arrange to meet with the Advisory Teacher of the Deaf when they are in the setting.

Bharti Solanki (Sensory Support Team Manager)

Email
sensorysupport@haringey.gov.uk

Telephone
020 8489 8338 | 07929 781581

Address
Sensory Support Team Alexandra House
2nd Floor, 10 Station Road
Wood Green N22 7TR

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Resources

Communicating with Deaf Children (PDF, 74KB)

Resources for sensory support team:

Procedure for New Referrals - Hearing Support, May 2022 (PDF, 61KB)

Referral Form Hearing Support May 2022 (PDF, 119KB)