Hearing Impairment Team

The Herefordshire Hearing Support Team (HST) is a specialist service that supports children and young people with significant hearing impairments (HI) across early years, school age, and post‑16 settings. The team aims to ensure every child with hearing loss can access learning, communication, and opportunities on an equal basis with their peers.
 

Who the Team Supports

The Hearing Support Team works with:

• Babies and young children newly diagnosed with hearing loss
• Children and young people in early years settings, mainstream schools, special schools, and selected colleges
• Families, carers, and supporting professionals
   

Children are usually referred through the Children’s Hearing Centre (Wye Valley NHS Trust), which works closely with the Hearing Support Team as part of joined‑up early identification and intervention.
 

What the Hearing Impairment Team Provides

Specialist Teaching & Support

All teachers within the team hold the mandatory qualification for teaching children with hearing impairment and have extensive experience in both mainstream and special school settings.

Support includes:

• One‑to‑one or small‑group specialist teaching
• Strategies to support listening, communication, and language development
• Support for curriculum access across subjects
• Specialist teaching in British Sign Language (BSL) or Sign Supported English (SSE) where appropriate

Equipment Support

The team can assess, advise on, and provide:

• FM systems for pupils using hearing aids or cochlear implant processors
• Soundfield systems to improve listening conditions in classrooms
• Short‑term and long‑term loan of specialist equipment and resources

They also monitor the effectiveness of equipment and work with schools to maintain good acoustic conditions.

Training for Schools & Settings

The team delivers training to teachers, support staff, SENCOs, and other professionals on:

• Understanding hearing impairment
• Classroom strategies
• Communication approaches
• Acoustic/environmental adaptations
   

Advice, Guidance & Multi‑Agency Working

The HST works alongside:

• Audiology and ENT services
• Health visitors
• Early years staff
• SENCOs and teachers
• Other sensory services within the Physical and Sensory Support (PASS) team

They contribute to:

• EHCP needs assessments and reviews
• Exam access arrangements
• Transition planning across educational stages

Accessing the Service

Most referrals come from the Children’s Hearing Centre, Hereford, but schools or professionals can also refer.

If a hearing impairment is suspected, families should first seek assessment from:

• GP
• Health visitor
• NHS audiology service
   

Contact Details

01432 261584
HSTeam@herefordshire.gov.uk
 

https://www.wyevalley.nhs.uk/services/community-services/childrens-hearing-service.aspx