Archived decisions
Commentary on the key issues raised during consultation
1 Research evidence: some respondents questioned the research evidence to support a move to integrated provision offering both auditory/oral and signing provision. Some investigation of appropriate academic literature has been undertaken but no long-term studies have been identified, which provide authoritative evidence. Manchester University is currently starting a project which may in due course add to existing research evidence.
2 The national figures, quoted in Section 2 of the report to Executive Member of 15 December, were taken from research quoted in "Developing Early Intervention/Support Services for Deaf Children and their Families" (DfES + RNID; 2003). Whilst they refer primarily to congenital deafness and therefore exclude later causes of deafness (e.g. meningitis), the numbers quoted of children on the caseload of the STA HI service include all deaf and HI children who meet the service's criteria, whatever the cause of deafness.
3 High quality support, from experienced staff, should be available to children in mainstream schools [not only in resourced provision]: the proposed changes are not intended to require more children to attend a local mainstream school, rather than resourced provision. Criteria for admission to resourced provision will not change as a result of these proposals. The consultation takes account of the fact that numbers in some resourced provisions have reduced leaving their viability open to question. One of the contributory factors is believed to be some parents' preference for their child to attend a local mainstream school rather than travel some distance to a resourced school.
4 High quality support will continue to be provided to children in pre-school settings and mainstream schools from the County Council's support services, such as early years Area SENCos, educational psychologists and, particularly, specialist teacher advisers. Where appropriate, outreach support may be provided from a resourced school. Specialist advice and support may also be available from other sources such as NHS (e.g. audiologists and speech and language therapists) and Cochlear Implant Centres.
5 Mixing auditory/oral and signing modes of communication in the same resourced provisions will be detrimental to both; particularly to children using only an auditory/oral mode of communication: it is not intended that all children in resourced provision should be expected to learn signing and to communicate through a variety of modes. Each child's individual education plan (IEP) or communication plan will identify the mode(s) appropriate to that child who will receive support accordingly. The identification of the appropriate and preferred mode(s) will be determined by the child, parents and professionals working collaboratively, and will be kept under review. As noted by several respondents, children's needs change and different modes of communication may be used over time and in different settings. One of Hampshire's resourced schools (Park View Infant) which was established to provide auditory/oral communication has already started to introduce sign supported English (SSE) for some children for whom this has been considered appropriate. Communication support assistants (CSA) have been initially provided through outreach from The Westgate School's resourced provision.
6 Whilst longitudinal studies have not been found (as noted in 12.1), which provide authoritative and overwhelming evidence of the impact of integrated provision, there is some research (quoted in the report of 15 December 2005: see Appendix 1, Annexe 1, paras 6.6 and 6.7) which indicates that there is no detriment to either auditory/oral or signing children and, indeed, that early exposure to sign language is beneficial in terms of communicative, social and emotional development. Some other local authorities have initiated similar changes for their resourced provision.
7 Process of change: how will this happen? Disruption to children should be minimised: recommendations for changes to the current pattern of resourced provision are set out in this report. Wherever possible, children attending schools whose resourced provision will close will be given the opportunity to remain until they move to an alternative provision when they leave their current school, or at the end of a Key Stage. The decision in respect of each child will be taken in consultation with parents. Where parents prefer their child to remain at their current school even after the resourced provision has formally closed, in order to complete a Key Stage or until he/she is due to leave, it may be possible to arrange for support to continue to be provided through existing support services including outreach from other resourced provision if appropriate.
8 An extensive programme of staff training is required: not all experienced auditory/oral staff can become competent signers: the proposed pattern of resourced provision (and of support to children in other mainstream schools) will require teachers of the deaf and support staff who are competent in auditory/oral methodologies and those who have good signing skills. Not all staff working in these provisions will need to be competent across the full range, provided that there is sufficient expertise to meet the needs of all the pupils.
9 A working group will be established under the auspices of the County Deaf and HI Group, and in liaison with the headteachers and teachers in charge in resourced schools, to identify staff professional development needs and to support a programme of training to enable staff to extend their skills and knowledge in order to better meet the needs of a wider range of children. This programme will be funded by schools' and the County Council's allocation of Standards Fund, which already includes provision to support staff undertaking the mandatory qualifications for teachers of hearing impaired and visually impaired children.
10 The cost implications have not been identified: the integration of auditory /oral and signing modes of communication in the same resourced provision should not incur additional pupil-related costs. (Implications for the costs related to staff training have been referred to above.) Resourced provision is funded through an Agreed Place Number (APN) which reflects the expected number of pupils due to attend. In line with central government's requirement for schools to have three-year budgets, the APN will (from April 2008) normally be set for three years, with review and revisions within this period where there are significant changes. Different cash values currently apply to the APN, according to school phase and type of communication mode. These same arrangements can apply to integrated provision, i.e. the APN of each resourced school will comprise some auditory/oral places and some signing places. The APN is a formula by which a level of funding is allocated to the school for management by the headteacher and governing body in order to meet the needs of all the pupils placed at the school. Small year-by-year variations in schools' APN are managed within the County Council's overall budget for special educational needs.
11 Reduction in the number of resourced schools may result in an increase in the distances travelled by some children to their nearest resourced provision, and therefore in the overall cost of home - school transport. The total number of children who may have longer journeys will be relatively small. Retaining resourced provision which does not attract sufficient pupils to remain financially viable would, on the other hand, be likely to result in higher cost to the County Council by, in effect, funding empty places in order to ensure that the school receives sufficient funds to employ a minimum core of qualified staff.
12 Communication Policy : insufficient reference to listening or language: the Policy recognises the essential place of communication skills in children's effective and successful functioning and learning. Listening and language (whether oral/aural or signed) are key (but not exclusive) elements of communication and are therefore encompassed within the principles and application of the Policy.
13 The Communication Policy makes no reference to resourced provision or to other agencies: the Policy is intended to apply to all deaf and HI children in whatever education setting they are educated (e.g. pre-school, mainstream school - with or without resourced provision, special school), and should be the basis on which all County Council support services and maintained schools work with these children and their families. The Policy reflects the principle that each individual child may be enabled to access the mode(s) of communication through which his/her potential can best be developed.
14 The draft Communication Policy was endorsed by the County Deaf and HI Group which comprises representatives from NHS as well as voluntary organisations. Through this Group, further discussion can take place to seek full multi-agency adoption of the Policy and to clarify the roles of each agency in supporting its implementation.
15 Wherever possible, pre-school provision should be attached to primary phase resourced provision: this view has been particularly voiced by those linked to the Park View schools (where Park View Infant School has a maintained nursery which includes pre-school children placed in the resourced provision) and to Medstead Primary School on the site of which is a non-maintained pre-school which accommodates some children before they enter the school's resourced provision and has staff who have developed skills in signed communication.
16 Strong and close links between infant/primary schools and their local pre-schools are always encouraged, in order to facilitate supportive and effective transition of children into school. This principle also applies to schools with resourced provision. Many parents also want their child to attend a pre-school which is close to home, and may expect appropriate support there if their child has a disability or special educational needs. Support services, including STAs HI and outreach services, should therefore continue to be able to provide appropriate support in whatever pre-school setting a child attends and this should not be dependent on or determined by the school to which the child may transfer at 4+ years. The development of Children's Centres, including a number with inclusive nursery and day care provision, will extend the range of settings in the County where children with additional needs can be appropriately supported.
Organisation of resourced provision
17 Paragraph 4.9 of the consultation document set out the objectives which, it was suggested, should inform the review of provision; namely, to achieve, wherever possible:
· provision which will be able to offer both auditory/oral and signed modes of communication;
· viability of numbers, to maintain security of staffing and, where possible, of pupil peer group;
· geographical spread and accessibility;
· continuity between primary and secondary linked schools;
· provision of outreach to children and young people in other schools and settings
18 Integrated provision: There has been substantial support for the principle of developing resourced provision in Hampshire all of which can offer a range of communication modes. It is acknowledged that some parents will want their child to follow an exclusively auditory/oral route and this will be appropriate and available for many children, whether educated in a local mainstream school or one with resourced provision. This is not incompatible with provision, within the same resourced school, of signed modes for those pupils for whom that is also appropriate, whether as their prime mode of communication or as a support in certain circumstances.
19 A number of professionals, including those with experience of other local authorities, have noted that, as children's needs change and as they develop, it may be appropriate to consider and introduce other communication modes, including signing. This potential need should not require the child to change school with all the associated disruption to the child's education and to his/her emotional and social development.
20 Development of integrated provision will require a programme of staff development which will be drawn up in consultation with these staff (see para. 9 above).
21 Viability of numbers: several respondents have endorsed the benefit of having a sufficient number of deaf/HI pupils within each resourced provision. It has also been noted that the community of deaf/HI pupils in a resourced provision should be of sufficient size to enable it to make a positive contribution to the whole school community.
22 A minimum number of funded places is required to provide sufficient finance to the school for a full-time teacher of the deaf and sufficient number of support staff hours. Resourced provisions that do not have this minimum number may experience staff recruitment and retention difficulties or the local authority may have to fund more places than the number of pupils attending in order to ensure a minimum funding allocation.
23 Geographical spread and accessibility: provisions should be accessible, to enable children, wherever they live in the County, to have access to appropriate resourced provision if they meet the admission criteria and if this is preferred by or acceptable to parents. Travel times and distances should be kept to a minimum. These factors also have to be balanced against achieving the other criteria, particularly viability of numbers and peer group sizes.
24 Continuity between primary and secondary linked schools: generally the benefit of having resourced provision in linked primary (or infant and junior) and secondary schools has been supported. A number of respondents have noted the potentially negative impact on pupils who have to experience a complete change of peer group when transferring from a primary to a secondary resourced school.
25 A number of respondents have suggested that the benefits of having resourced provision in linked primary and secondary schools has been overstated, and that parents may seek a different type of provision (e.g. non-maintained/independent special school) at secondary phase. These comments have mostly been made by respondents linked to Medstead Primary School. Parents will always have the right to express a preference for a school when their child transfers to secondary school. This does not negate the principle that the opportunity should be available for pupils to retain the benefit of the specialist support offered by resourced provision within the same pyramid of schools.
26 Other responses, from both parents and professionals, have expressed the contrary view and endorsed the principle that the pattern of resourced provision should enable pupils to remain with their hearing peers at secondary transfer. Resourced provisions are an integral part of their host schools and it is the practice of these provisions to enable their pupils to be included in the life of the whole school and to share their curriculum and other experiences with both deaf/HI and hearing peers. This is a feature of good inclusive education.
27 A number of respondents have noted the importance of providing a consistent peer group as an important context for the effective social, emotional and linguistic development of deaf and HI children. Young people with these needs are at greater risk of experiencing mental health difficulties; requiring children with significant additional needs to move away from their familiar peer group at secondary transfer may be detrimental to their social and emotional development. (Some children may need to change schools in order to access different or more specialist support.)
28 Outreach: the value of outreach from specialist provision is generally recognised and accepted. Outreach support to other mainstream schools (and, indeed, between resourced schools) has been provided by HI resourced provision for some time. This helps to address shortfalls (whether short- or long-term) of staff or of staff skills and helps to ensure that effective use can be made of scarce expertise; for example, of a qualified teacher of the deaf or communication support assistant. The principle of developing outreach or partnership working between specialist provision (including special schools) and mainstream schools, is also reflected in the County's draft strategy for developing the role of special schools.
29 Parents of newly diagnosed children should have access to unbiased information and services, and to emotional support: currently Social Care services may be provided by specialist staff within the Sensory teams which are hosted by Adult Services. Sensory officers (deaf/hard of hearing) may work with the child/young person and family to increase awareness of deafness and to develop communication skills. Information can be given on benefits and other local and national support services. Following assessment, equipment may be made available to help the child/young person to fully access the home environment (e.g. the television, telephone, door bell and smoke alarm).
30 Services for Sign Language users are provided by the Deaf Services Team (hosted by Adult Services) which is based in Winchester, but covers the whole of the County. The Deaf Services Team does not case-hold children but will work alongside the area-based Children's Services teams to offer support to the family. Children who are deaf or hearing impaired may be eligible for services from Social Care depending on their own or their family's needs. A child may not meet the eligibility criteria for services solely because of their deafness, but there may be wider issues within the family that would require support from Social Care services.