Hampshire County Council cuts support for deaf children - our reaction

The National Deaf Children’s Society, along with our members, have been campaigning tirelessly for the past few months against council cuts to the Teacher of the Deaf service in Hampshire.

Unfortunately we have now received the disappointing news that Hampshire County Council is going ahead with its proposals to cut this service. The service provides specialist support to deaf children, their families, early year’s settings, schools and colleges.

We are saddened by the decision that officers at Hampshire County Council have taken. At times like this it is worth remembering that one of the very reasons for councils existing is to provide vital services to some of the most vulnerable in our society.

We are also seriously concerned that this decision was taken solely by paid officers at the council, rather than members directly elected to represent their constituents.

What will change?

We are unsure exactly how the council’s plans will affect deaf children on the ground in Hampshire because elements of the council’s proposal are vague. Here are some of the things we are concerned may happen:

• Fewer specialist visits for deaf children
• Delays in fixing audiological equipment and technology
• Less face-to-face contact with professionals for families
• Less training for schools

What we do know is that there has been a cut to the number of Teachers of the Deaf and deaf instructors, which are invaluable to deaf children and families living in the area.

If you live in Hampshire and have a deaf child please let us know immediately if you see any changes in your child’s Teacher of the Deaf support. You can contact us at [email protected]

To find out the situation in your area, and to see if your council is cutting support, visit our interactive map.