Specialist Teaching Services

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The Hearing Support Service is part of the Local Authority’s Specialist Teaching Services and is made up of Specialist Teachers who have an additional qualification for teaching hearing impaired children, Educational Audiologists, Technician, Language Support Worker and an Early Years Practitioner.

The Hearing Support Service provides teaching, audiological and advisory support to all children and young people in Leicestershire who have a permanent hearing loss, from the time of identification until they leave school.

Babies are given hearing tests in the first few hours of life and where necessary they will be given an additional hearing check at The Leicester Royal Infirmary. When a permanent hearing loss is confirmed parents/carers will be told about the Hearing Support Service and given a leaflet to take home which includes the Hearing Support Service contact details.

Older children may be referred to the Hearing Support Service through a variety of sources such as:

When you suspect your child has a loss of hearing you can contact your Health Visitor for a young child, your GP or a school nurse who will be able to arrange a hearing test. In cases where a hearing loss is confirmed the child will be referred to the Hearing Support Service for a full assessment.

Children are supported according to their level of need, including degree of hearing loss, age, if they have any additional difficulties and school placement.

The Specialist Teachers support children at preschool, primary school, secondary school, local special schools and out of county schools.  The Educational Audiologists assess children’s hearing levels; select and fit appropriate hearing aids then monitor hearing levels and hearing aid use. Some children who are known to the Service are not seen regularly but are tested annually by the Health Authority with the results screened by the Service Audiologist for any significant changes.

In the early years, families of babies and toddlers who have a significant hearing loss are supported at home and in the childcare settings to encourage good hearing aid use and offer opportunities for the child to have a language rich environment to facilitate good linguistic progress.

In addition to a teacher for Hearing Impaired Children, a child may also have support from a Language Support Worker or Specialist Early Years Practitioner.

In the early years families may attend a Family Group offered by the Hearing Support Service where they are able to meet other families who have a child with a hearing loss.

Hearing Support Staff will assess children’s hearing, language and educational levels as appropriate for their age.  The information is then used to advise parents, settings and schools on the management of the hearing loss and children’s educational needs.

In cases where children have a hearing loss which is likely to have a significant impact on their ability to access the curriculum, a referral may be made to the Psychology Service for assessment.  They will determine whether the child should be referred for Statutory Assessment and if so a Statement of Special Educational Needs will be drawn up.  The Hearing Support Service will then contribute evidence to the Statement.

Children with an educationally significant hearing loss will have their hearing, linguistic and educational levels monitored throughout their education.

Teachers of the Hearing Impaired advise families, settings and schools on appropriate styles of curriculum delivery to allow children to achieve their full potential.

Depending on a child’s level of need Teachers of the Hearing Impaired may offer:-

During Curriculum Year 11 students have their audiological care transferred to the adult services at the Hearing Services Department of The Leicester Royal Infirmary. Meetings are arranged between the young person, the Educational Audiologist and Hearing Services to help students understand the facilities available to them beyond school.

The Hearing Support Service has a Technician who is able to repair and maintain hearing equipment.

NHS Hearing tests

Family Information Service