Inquiry day to review services for deaf children

BRISTOL City Council will hold an inquiry day on Thursday to review work towards improving services for deaf and hearing-impaired children in the city reports Bristol Evening Post (17/10/11)

The day will take evidence from council officers and external experts, with an opportunity for the public to make statements. It will end by making recommendations to the Deaf and Hearing Impaired Development Group, which is due to feed into a report to be taken to cabinet next year.

Currently, 365 children in Bristol access services for the deaf and hearing impaired in a range of settings. This includes early years settings such as nurseries, mainstream schools, resource bases attached to schools, Elmfield School for the Deaf and other special schools.
The development group started work in March this year, to audit current practice and make recommendations for future development.

Councillor Alastair Watson, chairman of the children's services scrutiny commission, which called the inquiry day, said: "Our aims is to give councillors and the public a timely opportunity to contribute to the work of the Deaf and Hearing Impaired Development Group. It is an extra opportunity for engagement on an issue where we need to respond to rapid change, brought about by the use of new technology and changing parental choice.
"I'm delighted that we have a guest speaker from the National Deaf Children's Society and am sure the day will be both lively and productive."

The meeting will be webcast and British Sign Language interpreters will be available.