糖心TV & BAEA response – Kingdon review of children’s hearing services
糖心TV submitted a joint online response with BAEA to Kingdon review of children’s hearing services.
Max 300 words/section听
Question 1
The following questions refer to the review and recall of children affected by service issues in children鈥檚 audiology services. This review and recall exercise is part of NHS England鈥檚听Paediatric听Hearing Services Improvement听Programme.
听
The deaf children,听their families听and educational听providers听affected by service issues in children鈥檚 audiology services required听rapid response听targeted interventions听and support from the Sensory Support听Services.听Once informed of the late diagnosed children, the听local authority services could implement听a听multi-specialist staff听approach, Qualified Teachers of Deaf Children and Young People (QToD), educational audiologists, and where available teaching assistants experienced in working with deaf children,听communication support workers,听British Sign Language听(BSL)听tutors, deaf models听to support their communication, language, social emotional and academic development.听
The disjoined systems听reported听between local authority education services and health services听experienced in some areas听regarding听multi-听disciplinary听team meetings,听impacts听on听principles听of families only needing to 鈥榯ell it once鈥� as the education services听don鈥檛听always have access to听information听in a timely manner. As reported in the annual Consortium for Research in Deaf Education听(CRIDE), education services aim to听have a听QToD听establish听contact within five working days听of notification of a new referral that is听identified听outside the newborn hearing screening听(NBHS), two听working听days听if the听referral听from the听NBHS听programme.听Those听initial听meetings with the family and听QToD听are often home-based and not as restricted as clinic appointment听timeframes听to allow the听family the safe space to ask questions, communicate their thoughts about their child鈥檚听communication options,听life听and education options etc.听听
听
The discussions for these听children required听greater听sensitivity听as听the families听rebuilt trust in the service providers听and听navigated听the听related听additional听impact of听their听experiences. For example, some children听missed听the critical period for cochlear implant surgery, which is most effective when performed at听a young age.听Additionally,听addressing with听professionals if misdiagnosis of other needs was valid听regardless of the diagnosis of deafness.听
听
Question 2听
If you have any suggestions for how the NHS could improve the way it responds to issues in children鈥檚 audiology services, please set them out here. You may also want to share with us your reflections of working within or alongside children鈥檚 audiology services in the NHS.听听
听
糖心TV听welcomed the听development of universal听NBHS听in the UK听which听stemmed from the seminal听paper by听Yoshinago-Itano et al听(1998)听that found that deaf children diagnosed听with听targeted intervention in place within 2 months of diagnosis had better听long-term听outcomes.听Similarly, 糖心TV promoted evidence-based听research in the intervening years, which led to quality standards and good practice guidance around effective joint working practices听eg听Family-Centred听Early Intervention (FCEI) principles and NDCS (2024),听Best Practices in Family听Centred听Early Intervention for听Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, Moeller et al,听(2013),听Early Years Support for Children with a Hearing Loss听(NDCS),听Quality Standards in听Paediatric听Audiology听(BAA).听
听
Multi-disciplinary working is fundamental to听high quality听provision听across all services听and听achieving听better outcomes for deaf babies,听children听and their families.听The听QToD听and Educational Audiologist interventions input听at the听early stages听to support the family on the journey and provide information for听informed decision-making听is essential in the multi-disciplinary team.听Annual CRIDE听reports have听evidenced听from the stage of identification, the听timeframe听of first contact from听QToDs听as specialist professionals that align with early intervention principles.听听
听
糖心TV听recognises听some children may become deaf post NBHS and would welcome the review of the newborn and school screenings that are scheduled听for听2024/2025.听
听
糖心TV recommends听an expected听engagement听of the Children鈥檚 Hearing Service Working听Group听听(CHSWG)听as a forum听to听maintain听and nurture听collaboration, comprehensive support, and family-centred听practices听with strong representation from both regional and national services, charities,听parents听and other stakeholders. Some听CHSWGs can听demonstrate听their activity听relating听to听variations in service provision听eg听assessment of children with complex needs,听management of temporary deafness,听reducing听waiting times for routine first assessments and hearing aid reviews, improving experiences for the deaf child and their families.听
听
