Effective Early Years Support in Scotland

More young deaf babies are being identified in Scotland than ever before as a result of the introduction of Universal Newborn Hearing Screening tests in 2005.  But what happens once they are diagnosed?

In England, the DfES published guidance in 2003 for multi-agency professionals working with deaf children and their families in the early years on how to provide an effective support network that focuses on developing access to language and communication for the deaf child and breaking down any barriers to this before they reach school age. For further information view the following document DfES 2003 Deaf Children Early Years Guidance (223 kb)

There is currently no such national guidance in Scotland.

A diagnosis of deafness for many is the start of a race against time, with early intervention offering the best chance for a child to develop language and communication skills.

But in order to decide on the best intervention for their child parents need to have all of the options presented to them. And they need local services to be able to provide the most effective intervention for their individual child. This is not the case at the moment and available services depend on where the family lives.

NDCS is campaigning for national minimum standards of service to be offered to all deaf children from every family regardless of where they live. 

• November 2007: Scottish Government announces that it will develop a 10-year early years and early intervention strategy during a debate in the Scottish Parliament.
  Scottish Government Early Years Debate: NDCS MSP Briefing - 31 October 2007 (44 kb)
  
• December 2007: NDCS Scotland briefs Bashir Ahmad MSP on the need to take action, and he asks a question in the Scottish Parliament during Scottish Government Question Time.
  Read the transcript >
• February 2008: NDCS meets with Minister for Children and Early Years, and highlights the need to develop coordinated national guidance for professionals working with deaf children and their families in Scotland.
• February 2008: NDCS meets with the Shadow Minister for Children and Early Years, Mary Mulligan MSP and briefs her on the situation and the need for action.
• April 2008: The Scottish Government and COSLA issue a consultation document on its proposals for the Early Years and Early Intervention Strategy. Take a look at the NDCS Scotland response:
  Early Years and Early Intervention Policy Statement - NDCS response (135 kb)
• May 2008: The Shadow Minister for Children and Early Years lodges a motion in the Scottish Parliament supporting NDCS Scotland’s calls for national guidance for multiagency professionals working with deaf children in the early years. A third of all MSPs sign up to support the motion.
• June 2008: NDCS Scotland joins the Scottish Sensory Centre’s working group to examine early years provision for deaf children in Scotland.
• September 2008: NDCS Scotland briefs MSPs ahead of a Scottish Government debate on Getting it Right for Every Child, and Marlyn Glen MSP calls on the Scottish Government to develop national early years guidance for professionals working with deaf children.
  Read her speech >  and take a look at the NDCS Scotland briefing: NDCS MSP Briefing - Getting it Right for Every Child - 4 September 2008 (28 kb)
• September 2008: NDCS Scotland writes to the Minister for Children and Early Years to remind him of our wishes for the Early Years Strategy. We receive a reply which indicates that the strategy will be wide ranging and contain broad aims which should be applied to all children.
• December 2008: The Scottish Government and COSLA publish the national Early Years and Early Intervention Strategy. It does not mention the needs of deaf children.  NDCS Scotland is disappointed, but will continue to work with the Scottish Sensory Centre to deliver best practice materials, working within the aims set out in  the Government's strategy.
  The Early Years Framework (582 kb)
• February 2009: The Scottish Government held a debate on its Early Years Framework in the Scottish Parliament and NDCS Scotland briefed MSPs.  Mary Mulligan MSP raised the need for national best-practice guidance for professionals working with deaf children in the early years
• Read her speech > and take a look at the NDCS briefing  Scottish Government Early Years Framework - NDCS Scotland MSP Briefing - 5th Feb 09 (39 kb)

NDCS Scotland needs you!

• Have you received effective support in the early years of your child’s life? 
  
• Or, do you feel that following diagnosis, you were left without enough information or support? 

Your stories will help us lobby the Scottish Government and COSLA to introduce better standards of early years support throughout the country.

If you have any questions, comments or experiences you would like to share, please get in touch.

Email: campaigns.scotland@ndcs.org.uk

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