Nursery World - Emma Fraser: Teachers of the deaf should be involved in all two-year-old checks for deaf children

Emma Fraser, teacher of the deaf, says the Government should use the SEND review to make the involvement of teachers of the deaf mandatory in all two-year-old checks for deaf children.

Emma Fraser of the National Deaf Children’s Society, which is calling on the Government to use the SEND Review to make the involvement of teachers of the deaf mandatory in all two-year old checks for deaf children

Two-year old checks aim to optimise a child’s development and emotional well-being. They are a vital opportunity for parents to gain a complete picture of their child’s progress and identify any development needs they might have. They also help to ensure that everyone is working together effectively to support the family.

Yet new research suggests that many of England’s 45,000 deaf children have their two-year-old check without any input at all from professionals who specialise in deafness.

The figures, provided by the Consortium for Research into Deaf Education, reveal that over half of local authorities in England do not routinely involve professionals who specialise in deafness in two-year old checks. Only 17 out of 125 specialist services for deaf children (14 per cent) have any involvement in two-year old checks. Over half of services (67/54 per cent) said that teachers of the deaf are involved in ’none or very few’ two-year checks for deaf children in their area.

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