SEND hearing impairments

Children’s audiology - hearing assessment service (0-18 yrs)

This specialist service, run by Bromley Healthcare, offers hearing assessments for babies, children and young people (up to 19 years of age if still in school) who may be at risk of having a hearing loss or who have failed a hearing test.

To use this service, you’ll need a referral from your doctor (GP), nurse, a teacher or other professional. If you are concerned about your child’s hearing you should first speak to one of these people, who may do a basic hearing test to see if there is a problem.

The assessment aims to identify severe hearing loss at the earliest possible age so that your child can get a hearing aid, referral to speech and language therapy or to teachers for the hearing impaired, if necessary. An early appointment with an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist through a joint clinic for anyone who might benefit from surgery.

Sensory support service (SEN)

The sensory support service works with babies, children and young people from the time a visual or hearing difficulty is diagnosed. In the early years the teams will support families through the difficult times when a visual or hearing impairment is first diagnosed, as well as monitoring and advising about how to help your child to develop appropriately.

Once your child starts at pre-school or school the team support pupils with hearing impairment to have the best possible access to the curriculum and school life whilst meeting needs specific to their sensory impairment.

Referrals are accepted from community audiology, ENT or tertiary audiology clinics.

The team have an open door policy for general advice on hearing loss.

Schools can refer to community audiology at the Phoenix Centre directly.

deafPLUS Bromley (18+)

deafPLUS provides a range of vital services to Bromley adults living with hearing loss and hearing impairment. Services include:

• Information and advice – including support with welfare benefits, housing, employment, debt, community care and access to council and legal services.
• PA community support – a one-to-one support service for deaf, hard of hearing and deafblind people.
• Equipment demonstrations – an opportunity to test and try specialised equipment for deaf and hard of hearing people including amplified telephones, doorbells or loops. deafPLUS makes referrals to adult social services equipment officer who can assess clients against an eligibility criteria for loan equipment
• NHS hearing aid batteries and retubing clinic – providing NHS hearing aid batteries and a monthly retubing drop-in clinic for Bromley and Kent residents.
• Health, wellbeing and social – providing a range of activities, workshops, training and courses for clients, families and health professionals to improve access and prevent social isolation for deaf and hard of hearing adults.
• Groups – deafPLUS offer various groups that support our clients and help to reduce social isolation, including tinnitus support group, hard of hearing group, craft group and a British Sign Language (BSL) practice group.

Find out more about the full range of services from deafPlus 

Loan equipment for the home

Children and young people who are deaf and hard of hearing can face challenges while living at home with their families.

This children’s service provides home assessments and specialist loan equipment which is installed, demonstrated and supported when necessary.

Equipment can include specialist alarm clocks for children and devices that will alert them to the front door or entry-phone and, dependant on the degree of their hearing loss, equipment that will notify them to the telephone ringing and enable them to be more confident while communicating on the phone.

TV listening devices can also be provided that will help children and young people to get more pleasure out of watching television as well as hear better to communicate on a one to one basis.                                                   

We make referrals to the London Fire Service for specialist smoke alarms for the deaf and hard of hearing. Please ask for more information.

All equipment provided is free of charge and loaned for as long as it is needed, we only ask that you keep it in good working order and return it when it is no longer needed.

All eligible children will require an assessment to be completed. For information about this and how to apply for the equipment, please contact our adult early intervention team.

Need more help?

The Information, Advice and Support Service (IASS) provides confidential and impartial advice and information to support parents or carers and children and young people who have, or may have, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) aged 0 – 25.