London Borough of Croydon

Services

Teachers of the deaf offer visits to parents and carers at home and to staff in early years and pre-school settings in order to provide information and support in relation to all aspects of managing the needs of a child with hearing loss. These may include:

  • support and encouragement for parents following diagnosis of their child's hearing loss
  • deafness - the nature, extent and possible implications of an individual's hearing loss
  • accompanied clinic visits and preparation for testing
  • clinical testing procedures: the tests and how to interpret the results, developing the successful use of hearing aids, cochlear implants and amplification technology
  • child development - what is normal and what might be affected by hearing loss
  • the importance of the development of play skills
  • the development of communication and communicative behaviour
  • methods of communication - the development of speech/sign language
  • direct work with individual children to help promote the development of their communication including the modelling of play and communication techniques to parents
  • accessing and working with other agencies including health, speech and language therapy and cochlear implant centres
  • introducing the government-led Early Support Project (ESP) for deaf children aged 0-3 and the use of ESP materials
  • observation, assessment and reporting on hearing aid use to doctors and audiologists to ensure that hearing aid prescription is monitored and adjusted for best results to the child
  • work with early years and child care providers of the parents' choice to support transition and the planning and delivery of appropriate provision for the hearing-impaired child in those settings
  • developmental assessment and professional reporting to contribute to the longer-term planning of educational provision
  • advice on sources of help regarding benefits and help with applications for DLA/Family Fund.
  • advice on helpful web sites and on how to contact local groups and national organisations such as Disability Register services, NDCS and DELTA.

Contact Details

Contact name
Jennifer Kidd
Job title
Head of Communication Support Service
Telephone
020 8683 4849
Fax
020 8683 4922
Email
jennifer.kidd@croydon.gov.uk
Address
BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology
The Crescent
Croydon
CR0 2HN

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