Acoustics specialists
An independent consultancy with expertise in the acoustic design of schools for the deaf. The consultancy assists parents with challenging SEN Statements regarding school acoustic suitability and will provide evidence, and if necessary expert witness testimony at a SEND Tribunal.
Assistive devices
An independent family run company established over 50 years ago, specialising in supplying a wide range of equipment for deaf and hard of hearing people including accessories for CI users.
Provides hearing solutions for all hearing impaired people. Products include hearing aid technology, implants and hearing aids, wireless technology, Soundfield and assistive devices for auditory processing disorder, dyslexia and autism.
Distributor of specialist hearing and communication solutions, specialising in the supply and support of personal FM systems, Soundfield, loops and acoustic treatments to enhance communication at school, home and work.
Equipment trial service
A free-of-charge NDS service offering deaf children and their families the pportunity to borrow equipment to assess in their own homes or at school, including radio aids, communication technology, alerting devices, and listening aids for TV and MP3 players.
To use this service families must be members of the NDCS. Membership is free. Join by registering at http://www.ndcs.org.uk/family_support/join_us_for_free/
Speech, language and communication
The CICS group is independent. We support families whatever their chosen method of communication with their deaf child may be. We offer you the following links that may be helpful
Supports parents and represents children and young people with speech, language and communication needs. (Not deaf specific, but some good information nonetheless.)
The AG Bell Listening and Spoken Language Knowledge centre is a worldwide resource for children and adults with hearing loss, their families, and the professionals that support them. Promotes early diagnosis and intervention and provides publications, discounts on books, and social media connections to a listening and spoken language community.
An independent service located in Nottingham offering two programmes for deaf children with their families support, to develop listening and spoken language; Auditory Verbal Therapy and Auditory Enrichment Therapy.
A small UK-wide charity which helps babies and pre-school aged children with hearing impairment to listen and speak at centres in Oxfordshire and London using Auditory Verbal Therapy. This is an approach that focuses on early intervention and parent-coaching, and AVUK aims to work with children, parents and the child’s hearing professionals in partnership.
Christopher Place – The Speech Language and Hearing Centre
A centre in London for babies and children under 5 who have hearing impairment or delay in speech, language and communication. Offers assessments, a range of therapies including Auditory Verbal Therapy, specialist nursery groups, parent training and a summer programme.
A national voluntary organisation of members concerned with Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) which are methods and aids that can be used by people who have little or no clear speech.
A national charity providing information and training regarding Cued Speech, a visual version of speech using hand-shapes near the mouth combined with the lip patterns of normal speech. Free training can be arranged for parents of deaf children who would find it hard to afford the costs of learning.
A nationwide support group of teachers and parents of deaf children. Provides support, information and advice to guide parents in helping their children develop normal speech through the use of the Natural Aural Approach. Runs courses for parents and families including summer schools for parents with hearing impaired children. Regional branches also hold regular meetings and conferences.
Aims to support individuals and families affected by dyspraxia and to help professionals in health and education to assist those with dyspraxia. Publishes books and guides, organises conferences and supports a network of local groups across the UK. Works to promote better diagnostic and treatment facilities for those who have dyspraxia and to promote awareness and understanding of dyspraxia.
Provides comprehensive educational and support services for children with hearing loss and their families. This enables the children to develop their listening skills and spoken language and gives the parents the confidence and knowledge to make informed decisions on behalf of their child.
The Ewing Foundation is a national charity which works to raise the education and social achievements of deaf children by fostering the maximum use of their residual hearing and by promoting deaf children’s spoken language.
Website designed to provide free information and resources relating to communication, and improving communication skills. Aims to help individuals with communication difficulties, as well as provide information to parents and teachers about how they can develop and enhance their children’s speech and language skills. For those adults and children currently having speech therapy, the site aims to provide extra resources and activities to work in conjunction with an established speech therapy schedule, or to provide individuals with the necessary resources to make some progress independently.
Based in Los Angeles, provides onsite and distance parent-centred services, support, materials and education in English and Spanish for families of infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers with hearing loss. The onsite international Summer Sessions are offered for children age 2½ to 5 and their families interested in using spoken language.
Based in Herts, the Phoenix Group provides activities and workshops for their Youth Group (11+ years) for deaf young adults and Cheeky Monkeys Group (7 – 11 years) for young children. Whatever their hearing loss or communication needs, eg Learning to Listen, Telephone Skills, Keeping Safe. BSL Courses and Deaf Awareness Course. Click on the link for an up to date programme of events and up and coming courses.
The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists is the professional body for speech and language therapists and support workers.
Maria Cameron, independent Speech and Language Therapist/Teacher of the Deaf, currently completing AVT accredited training works with parents to develop their deaf child’s speech and language through maximising their use of listening. Also has extensive experience of working with children with additional language difficulties, provides assessments for tribunals and will act as an expert witness.
A national charity providing networking and support for children young people and families who use alternative communication.
Specialist speech and language therapy. Assessment, information, advice, support.
Independent assessment and management of hearing
Provides independent, multi-disciplinary assessments (psychological, audiological, Teacher of the Deaf and speech and language) and reports for deaf children of any age, regardless of their communication mode (spoken or signed language) or other additional difficulties.
Chear – Children’s Hearing, Evaluation and Amplification Resource
An independent organisation that assesses and manages hearing in babies, children and adults. For children, this means working out their potential and helping them to optimise their hearing skills for the life ahead of them. Its founder, Dr. Josephine Marriage, has a wide range of experience in clinical practice, research and teaching.
The Ear Foundation – Sound Advice
Provides independent assessments, advice and reports, for hearing impaired children who use a range of technologies including cochlear implants, bone anchored hearing devices and hearing aids. Experienced professionals in cochlear implant technology, management, outcomes and the latest research offer the opportunity to discuss issues affecting children and possible ways forward.
Education and Legal Assistance
Education
ACE Education Advice & Training
ACE Education Advice & Training provides independent advice and information for parents on education issues in England. Training and consultancy services covering education law and guidance are also provided to a wide range of education professionals.
This government site has information, guidance, statistics, publications and much more related to schools, special educational needs and children’s services.
NDCS provides information, advice and guidance to parents to enable them to negotiate appropriate support for their deaf child’s special educational needs. NDCS may also provide support to parents through appeals to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal.
TES connect – Hearing Impairment SEN Teaching Resources
The website of the Times Educational Supplement is rich in resources for special educational needs teaching, including those with hearing impairments.
Legal advice on educational issues
IPSEA (Independent Panel for Special Education Advice)
Offers free and independent legally based information advice and support given by highly trained volunteers. Has advice line and Tribunal helpline. Provides training on the SEN legal framework to parents, professionals and other organisations.
Langley Wellington has a very experienced team dedicated specifically to all aspects of education law. Lots of experience with special educational needs.
SEN Legal are leading experts specialising in education law, particularly appeals to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDT) throughout England and Wales.
Offering a free, friendly, independent and confidential telephone helpline for parents and others looking for information and advice on Special Educational Needs (SEN). SOS!SEN concentrate on helping people to find their way through the legal and procedural maze which is so daunting to so many who try to obtain satisfactory provision for a child’s special needs.
Legal advice on medical issues
Experienced lawyers, some of whom are also qualified nurses, midwives and doctors who can assist in claims for compensation due to suffering from negligent treatment. BL Claims Solicitors has offices across southern England and Wales including Cardiff, London, Oxford, Portsmouth, Reading and Southampton.
Provides specialist legal advice on issues associated with chldren’s deafness. Helps families whose children may have a claim arising from negligent medical treatment, or have been refused access to treatment, or have been discriminated against due to his / her deafness.
General Hearing Impairment
There is a huge amount of information on the internet, so much that it can be confusing. The following is a short list of sites that we hope you will find helpful.
AOHL aims to achieve a radically better quality of life for deaf and hard of hearing people by campaigning and lobbying vigorously, by raising awareness of deafness and hearing loss, by providing services and through social, medical and technical research. Offers information and support on all aspects of deafness, hearing loss and tinnitus.
An internet resource. Directory of British sign Language and deafness related resources.
Supports deaf individuals who use hearing aids, cochlear implants or bone-anchored hearing aids. Provides resources, courses, training and events for deaf adults, children, their families and the professionals who work with them, and carries out research into a wide range of topics relating to hearing impairment. Also provides independent assessments, advice and reports through their Sound Advice programme.
NDCS is the national charity dedicated to creating a world without barriers for deaf children and young people. Provides factsheets, publications, impartial information and support to families and professionals on every aspect of childhood deafness – schooling, communication, parenting, health services, welfare benefits, equipment and much more. There is also a network of local NDCS groups that organise meetings and events.
United Kingdom Council on Deafness (UKCoD)
A membership body for organisations concerned with deafness. Provides access to specialist information, conferences and collaborative working opportunities, whilst providing a collective membership voice to political and cross sector partners.
Entertainment
Music
Details of music news and events for people with hearing loss.
Offers individual and group music sessions to babies and children with a wide range of needs including deafness, deafness with additional needs, physical and developmental disabilities, learning disabilities ASD, sensory impairments, emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Runs various music clubs, workshops and signing choirs across the UK along with occasional events for early years. All ages, types of hearing loss and communication needs are catered for.
Subtitling, Stagetext and Signed Theatre
Provides weekly listings of subtitled performances showing at local cinemas
An American site giving a clear guide to closed captioning technology
STAGETEXT is a registered charity which provides captioning and live speech-to-text services in theatres, museums, galleries and other arts and cultural venues.
Professional touring company, creating theatre incorporating Sign Language Arts, accessible for deaf children and their hearing peers. Uses innovative and imaginative visual theatre combining mime, dance, song, Commedia dell Arte, puppets and sign language. Performances around England are listed on their website.