Skip to content

d/Deaf and Hearing Support Service

A Council-run education service to help with hearing loss.

Supports children and young people: The team work with children and young people from the ages of 0 at their initial diagnosis until 25 (for young people who have an EHCP). 

Referral reason: Concerns about a child’s hearing in the classroom.

People involved: Specialist qualified teachers who specialise in Hearing loss (QToD), specialist teaching assistants, educational audiologists, Deaf instructors, resource technicians, Audiology (NHS)

Offer: Advisory support to educational settings on inclusion strategies, including the physical environment, use of specialist equipment, teaching strategies and differentiation. Monitoring visits or direct teaching support to child or young person. The service works closely with a range of settings in:

  • nursery and pre-schools
  • primary phase schools
  • secondary schools
  • college and Post 16/18 settings.

Specialist equipment is available for students.  Our d/Deaf children may require access to radio aids.  These are set up and managed by our highly skilled educational audiologist.

Support for families is part of the offer due to working with very young children right through to adulthood.  The team build strong links with carers and families which helps to maintain a supportive role when working together.

The service also has integrated resources at Silverdale School, Angram Bank Primary School, Lower Meadow Primary School and Greystones Primary School for students with hearing loss.

We support transitions for children and young people who are d/Deaf.  This is at all key stages of their educational journey. We aim to make the transition run as smoothly as possible for our students. 

We set up meetings with all the professionals and families involved. This ensures the right support is in place at the right time.  This is so everyone feels confident about the new school or setting.

Everyone’s experience in a setting will be different. Transitions are planned with the child or young person at the centre.  The plans are based on an individuals’ unique circumstances and may include:

  • We encourage our children and young people to visit their new school often before they start. This helps them get to know the teachers and other kids, so they feel comfortable and happy.
  • Our specialist teachers made extended or frequent visits to the new setting. These visits happen before and after the move.
  • Support to make sure the environment is suitable.  We call this habilitation support. 
  • Summer school
  • Activities with their new peer group before attending the setting
  • Independence and life skills

We also work with very young children to settle them into nursery and pre-school settings.  We work with older students at post-16/18 going into further education.

We have strong links with a range of settings. This helps us to plan appropriate and effective transition packages.

Useful links

Supporting deaf young people | Transition plan meeting

How to contact us

Referrals usually come from Hearing Services, Sheffield Children’s Hospital.

Schools and education settings can also refer (for example, if a child is new to the city) as long as they have parental consent. (See referral and consent to share information letter)

The Service aims to see new referrals within 15 working days of referral.

E-mail: hearingimpairedservice@sheffield.gov.uk 
Telephone: 0114 273 6410

Available under the Links and documents section on this page

  • Graduated response teacher toolkit for hearing impaired
Last updated:
Previous Becton Medical Outreach Next Vision Support Service