Directory of Supporting Services for D/deaf and Hard of Hearing Children and Young Adults
Social Activities
The Phoenix Group for Deaf Children and Young Adults.
Holiday and weekend activities, individual support, The Duke of Edinburgh Award and more
www.phoenixgroup.org.uk Tel: 01438 729461 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
National Deaf Children’s Society
https://www.ndcs.org.uk/about-us/
The Buzz (NDCS): A website for deaf young people
Children with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
New to SEND Services?
https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/microsites/Local-Offer/The-Hertfordshire-Local-Offer.aspx
Low Incidence Team SEND
The team provides specialist advice and intervention for children and young people with low incidence needs such as D/deaf and hard of hearing or physical needs. They provide support for individual children, training and professional development and advice about specialist equipment and ICT. Address: The Woodside Centre, The Commons, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 4EN
Telephone 0300 123 4043
Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Children and Young People’s Therapies Service
Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust
https://www.hct.nhs.uk/our-services/childrens-speech-and-language-therapy
Short Breaks Local Offer
Short Breaks for parents of disabled children, find out if your child can access low cost, local activities
https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/microsites/Local-Offer/The-Hertfordshire-Local-Offer.aspx
HertsHelp
If you need help and don’t know where to turn, HertsHelp can help you or put you in touch with someone else who can. They are free, independent service available to everyone who lives in Hertfordshire, funded by Hertfordshire County Council and NHS partners and delivered by local community organisations all sharing the name HertsHelp.
Telephone No: 0300 123 4044
Email : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
HPCI
HPCI is an independent parent carer led organisation which aims to improve services for children and young people aged 0-25 years who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. We do this by ensuring that family voices are heard by service planners and decision makers. Add your voice to those of other Hertfordshire parents and carers and help make a difference.
http://www.hertsparentcarers.org.uk/join-our-network/
Education and information from Teachers of the Deaf
Healthlands School, (school for BSL users)
Heathlands Drive,
St Albans,
AL3 5AY
Telephone 01727 807807
Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web www.heathlands.herts.sch.uk
Knightsfield School
Knightsfield
Welwyn Garden City
AL8 7LW
Telephone 01707 376874
Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web www.knightsfield.herts.sch.uk
Teachers of the Deaf
https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/microsites/local-offer/services-for-children-and-young-people/deaf-and-hearing-support-service.aspx
Mental Health and Well-Being
The Deaf & Hard of hearing Directory contains links to support with health, mental health and learning disability:
https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/media-library/documents/adult-social-services/factsheets/deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-directory.pdf
Most of us will have times when we experience periods of low mood, or anxiety which affect our general wellbeing, just like we will all struggle at times with our physical health. The things we do every day and the choices we make impact our mental health and being aware of these can help keep us on an even keel. Here you can find information on the different types of mental health support for children and young people in Hertfordshire
https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/microsites/local-offer/services-for-children-and-young-people/mental-health-and-wellbeing.aspx
Deaf CAMHS
Deaf CAMHS is a child and adolescent mental health service in England that offers accessible support to deaf children and young people and their families. Deaf children can be at greater risk of mental ill health and can be disadvantaged in accessing mainstream mental health services.
https://www.swlstg.nhs.uk/our-services/find-a-service/service/deaf-child-young-people-and-family-service-cambridge-and-east-of-england-outreach-clinic
Corner House National Deaf CAMHS
A six-bed national specialist assessment and treatment unit for deaf children and adolescents aged 8 up to their 18th birthday, with severe complex emotional and psychological problems.
Address: Heather Ward, Newton (Building 5, entrance 5), Springfield Hospital, 61 Glenburie Road, London, SW17 7DJ
Telephone 020 3513 6860
Minicom 020 3513 6909
Text 07595 414692
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Mindfulness for deaf and hearing families - 3 Minute Breathing Space by Red Earth Theatre.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlnRKo96VEw&feature=youtu.be
https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/problems-disorders
https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/parents-and-young-people
Audiology and Speech and Language
West Hertfordshire Audiology (Hertfordshire Community Trust)
Our service runs from Peace Children’s Centre (Watford), St Albans Civic Centre (St Albans) and the Marlowes Health and Wellbeing Centre (Hemel Hempstead)
Our service covers routine assessments, assessments of newborns from the newborn hearing screening test and hearing aid fittings and reviews for children with a diagnosed hearing loss. We have a range of audiologists and audiology assistants who work within our service, as well as an Audiovestibular Physician.
To contact our service for hearing aid repairs, general queries or feedback, please email our friendly team on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Our website, with lots of information, can be accessed here: Children's Hearing Service (Paediatric Audiology) | Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust (hct.nhs.uk)
A brief video introduction on what to expect at an audiology appointment can be accessed here (closed caption available through Youtube): HCT Children's Audiology what to expect at your appointment Sep 2021 - YouTube
East and North Hertfordshire Audiology
https://www.enherts-tr.nhs.uk/services/audiology/
Children and Young People’s Speech and Language Services
Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust
www.hct.nhs.uk/our-services/childrens-speech-and-language-therapy
Communication Access to services
BSL Health Access: deaf people can use BSL Health Access (provided by Sign Health and Interpreter Now) to contact any NHS service.
https://www.bslhealthaccess.co.uk/
Interpreter Now: deaf people can use InterpreterNow to ring NHS 111
https://interpreternow.co.uk/nhs111
Video Relay Directory: This is a list of Companies/Organisations providing Video Relay Services for deaf people.
https://www.deafcouncil.org.uk/deaf-access-to-communications/video-relay-directory/
Find out about Hertfordshire’s Services through BSL videos
https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/accessibility/british-sign-language-bsl-videos.aspx
Deaf Awareness and learning British Sign Language
The Phoenix Group for Deaf Children and Young Adults deliver Deaf Awareness and Introduction to BSL
Web: www.phoenixgroup.org.uk Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The BSL Centre, Heathlands School St Albans
https://heathlands.herts.sch.uk/introduction-3/
Information and Support on Language and communication by NDCS.
https://www.ndcs.org.uk/information-and-support/language-and-communication/sign-language/
Other
Access to Work
Get support to work if you have a disability or health condition
https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work
Hertfordshire’s Sensory Services
https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/adult-social-services/disability/sensory-services/sensory-services.aspx
Hertfordshire Citizens Advice Service
The Hertfordshire Citizens Advice Service (HCAS), employs an Advice adviser who can help clients who are D/deaf or hard of hearing. Citizens Advice works hard to ensure the service that it provides is as inclusive as possible. Now, thanks to funding from Hertfordshire County Council, we can offer advice directly to clients in Hertfordshire who communicate using British Sign Language (BSL), Sign Supported Language (SSE), or lip-speaking.
“HCAS is proud to provide such a valuable service that is free, independent, impartial and confidential and open to every D/deaf or hard of hearing person in Hertfordshire.”
To contact the Deaf Advice Service, drop into your local Citizens Advice office, text 07756 148591 (standard network rates apply) or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
You can follow the BSL advice service in Herts on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BSLHerts and on Twitter @BSLHerts or on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsNk-2oYvX_-AylVu-Nll6w
Herts Hearing Advisory Service
http://www.hhas.org.uk/hearing-aid-services/hertfordshire2
The D/deaf & Hard of hearing Directory
This website contains lots of information and links for help regarding benefits, employment support and many other areas:
https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/media-library/documents/adult-social-services/factsheets/deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-directory.pdf
The Children's Hearing Services Working Group (CHSWG)
This is a group of representatives made up of different professionals (such as audiologists, hearing screeners, teachers of the deaf, speech and language therapists) working in Hertfordshire with D/deaf and hard of hearing children (children with a hearing loss).
Parents and families are represented by Parent Reps and the Phoenix Group for Deaf Children, representing the voluntary sector (www.phoenixgroup.org.uk). A representative from the NDCS - National Deaf Children's Society also attends who provides a national overview.
CHSWG is responsible for improving services for families and children by listening to them, taking their views into account and by ensuring that recommendations from national initiatives and Quality Assurance (QA) are met. It offers advice, guidance and exerts influence in order to ensure high quality services. It also acts on behalf of service providers at a practitioner, managerial and strategic level.
For more information https://www.phoenixgroup.org.uk/members/chswg
Cochlear implant support group
https://www.cicsgroup.org.uk/
CHIPS: CHILDREN with HEARING IMPAIRMENT: PARENT SUPPORT FACEBOOK GROUPS
The first CHIPS group was set up by parents from St Albans/Harpenden. They organise informal get togethers, continue CHICS friendships, sign up to activities together, share expertise, have an annual Christmas party and campaign for better services.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1405902546329464
BEN: Guide to disability inclusion in the workplace
https://www.thanksben.com/the-definitive-guide-to-disability-inclusion-in-the-workplace
