Hearing Support Team

Social and Emotional Needs

The HST offer a unique service to promote the wellbeing, engagement and inclusion of deaf children and young people.

  • Pupils are motivated with high expectations
  • Pupils are independent and confident
  • The whole school is aware of hearing needs
  • Social isolation is reduced

HST aim to develop the confidence of all pupils with hearing losses to give them aspirations and achievements commensurate with their ability. HST offer the following:

  • Social interaction groups organised to promote inclusion and understanding of communication with peers. Please see more information below
  • Teenage reference groups enable pupils with hearing losses to have a voice
  • Use of annual questionnaires with school age pupils to elicit the pupil voice on the support the pupil receives, explore the pupils understanding of their hearing loss and contribute to their own learning
  • Develop and nurture pupils’ self-advocacy so as to be active participants in each transition phase
  • Continuity of advice, support and expertise for pupils is assured as they move into different stages of education
  • Referrals to other agencies for additional support for pupils with social and emotional difficulties
  • Peer awareness for whole school, year group and class groups so that all pupils understand the impact of deafness on social interaction
  • Teaching of basic British Sign Language (BSL) to groups of peers