High Needs Hearing Support Service Review
Somerset County Council is proposing to make the following changes to the way that children and young people with high needs hearing impairment access education support from the 1 September 2015. The proposal is as follows:
- In line with majority parental preference, individualised education provision in mainstream settings will be offered to young people aged 0-25 years where the primary high need is hearing impairment, from September 2015.
- The hearing support resource base provision will cease by August 2015 so that resources can be deployed more flexibly and efficiently by following the child.
The 5 resource bases are situated in the following schools:
- Holy Trinity Primary
- Hugh Sexey Middle
- Kings of Wessex
- Bishop Fox’s
- Weare First
Background information
The provision for high needs hearing impairment has undergone a review since September 2013, as part of the overall SEN Service review.
The number of children and young people with identified, educationally significant hearing impairment is approximately 300 children and young people. Of this group 38 children and young people are currently identified as high needs (primary need hearing impairment) aged 0-18 yrs. The number of children and young people with a high needs hearing impairment who attend a hearing support resource base has steadily decreased over a number of years with 42% of children and young people attending a mainstream local school as opposed to 16% attending a resource base (6 children).
The 5 resource bases are situated in the following schools:
- Holy Trinity Primary
- Hugh Sexey Middle
- Kings of Wessex
- Bishop Fox’s
- Weare First
A stakeholder reference group made up of parents, voluntary sector, social care, health services, service staff and SCC representatives have worked together since September 2013. The group developed of a set of principles and outcomes for the service and a model was developed for future delivery.
A transition plan will be developed and implemented if the proposal is agreed.
For additional information please click here:
(and then right click on the Summary of Information for the High Needs Hearing Impairment Review document)
As required by the DfE guidance, information about the consultation will be sent directly to all governing bodies of the schools listed above and to parents of children currently educated from a resource base, as well as other key stakeholders.
The consultation will open on 5th January and close on 2nd February 2015. The Cabinet Member for Children and Families will consider the proposals and the consultation responses before coming to a decision. It is expected that the Cabinet Member decision will be taken in March 2015.
Comments or objections on the proposal can be made from 5 January – 2 February 2015.
A final decision will be made by Cllr Frances Nicholson, Cabinet Member for Children and Families, in early March 2015. Notification of the decision will be published within one week of the decision.