BPS shares positive Hearing Unit experiences with future students.

Senior students paid a visit to Bayside Early Education Program

The Early Education Program is an early childhood intervention program for babies and children under school age (0 to 6 years), who have a permanent hearing loss.

For many families, the diagnosis of a baby or young child with a hearing loss will come as a complete surprise. They may know no other person in the same position.

The journey can be a daunting one; despite having support from case workers, early intervention counsellors and other professionals.

The support of and sharing amongst young families in a similar position is invaluable. For many this may be their first child and they know no other older child with a hearing loss.

The aim of connecting our senior students in a relaxed playgroup setting, is to highlight the positive outcomes for these families. Our students share their ‘school stories’ and highlight what it means to be a Brighton Primary School student who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH) and have the mainstream environment which they share with hearing peers as well as the support and targeted intervention of the Teachers of the Deaf in the Hearing Unit.

The visit is timed to coincide with Hearing Awareness Week nationally when there may be more coverage on social media as well as television or in the press. This also precedes our annual BPS Prep Information sessions and the commencement of enrolment for the forthcoming year.

Su Perrins 

BPS Hearing Unit