South West Every Deaf Child Matters Conference 2014:
‘All Ages, All Stages and the Spectrum of Need
--- Press Release ---
Exeter hosts a cutting edge conference of national significance, bringing together professionals to improve outcomes for deaf children.
Professionals local, regional and national will be learning from each other and discussing how best to support deaf children and young people across all ages.
The conference being held today (8 July), focuses on the Government reforms to Special Educational Needs policies across education, health and social care and how they can positively impact on deaf children.
The conference champions an innovative approach and models true inclusivity rather than just talking about it, a panel of Deaf young people will give their first hand experiences of the kinds of support that helps them, and what doesn’t work so well. Parents will be leading a workshop for professionals about supporting children with no hearing.
Chaired by Brian Lamb OBE, the South West Every Deaf Child Matters 2014 Conference (#SWEDCM2014) says "This conference has become an important national as well as regional event. It is at the forefront of bringing together leading speakers to share the latest thinking about the National context but also blends this with regional knowledge and practical understanding of local implications."
Keynote speaker Liz Sayce, OBE Chief Executive of Disability Rights UK, Anne Porter from the Department for Education and Jayne Carroll from Virgin Care Integrated Children’s Services Devon, will challenge and champion issues relating to working for better outcomes across the spectrum of deaf children’s need.
Over 100 professionals who work with deaf children and young people will have an opportunity to debate with sector experts and parents of deaf children and young people on a range of topics including supporting emotional health and wellbeing.
According to Sarah Collinson, the National Deaf Children's Society Regional Director South West, “Deafness can affect every part of a deaf child or young person’s life, from learning a first language at home to following what their teacher is saying at school, making friends and joining in play, learning to read and write, being able to express themselves, or even being able to buy something in a shop. Deaf children are still far more likely to under-achieve at school and experience mental health problems than hearing children. But it is often a very hidden and misunderstood disability and many deaf children and their families continue to face huge barriers and lack the crucial support that they need.”
Louise Cole, Consultant and Director of Heart of Deafness CIC adds “We talk often about the need to ensure joint working and to look at the whole child when developing services and support to help each individual to achieve their potential and realise their rights to happiness, health, language and communication, education and employment. The reality however, when resources are constrained is that this is much harder to achieve. This conference affords a real opportunity to build links and work together cost effectively at a time of resource constraints. Deafness is a low incidence disability and so sharing specialist approaches, joint commissioning and making sure every deaf child, no matter what their level of deafness is paramount.”
The event has attracted sponsorship from global technology companies including GNResound and Phonak. NHS England are also sponsoring indicating the growing awareness of the health sector need to support this vulnerable group who are often excluded and denied the opportunities that hearing children have. Other sponsors include specialist organisations: the National Deaf Children’s Society and Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education.
Organised by a steering group of representatives from the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) and Consultants, the fourth South West Every Deaf Child Matters Conference is taking place at the Rougemont Hotel in Exeter. A nationally representative Advisory Panel is made up of deaf specialist strategic leaders across health, education and care.
Notes to editors:
- Full information about the 2014 conference is available at: http://swedcm.weebly.com/
- Images and further comment will be available after the event.
- Twitter updates from the conference will be at #SWEDCM2014
- The 2013 EDCM Conference Report is available at: http://swedcm.weebly.com/2013.html
- For further information contact [email protected]
- Louise Cole 07881585395
Exeter hosts a cutting edge conference of national significance, bringing together professionals to improve outcomes for deaf children.
Professionals local, regional and national will be learning from each other and discussing how best to support deaf children and young people across all ages.
The conference being held today (8 July), focuses on the Government reforms to Special Educational Needs policies across education, health and social care and how they can positively impact on deaf children.
The conference champions an innovative approach and models true inclusivity rather than just talking about it, a panel of Deaf young people will give their first hand experiences of the kinds of support that helps them, and what doesn’t work so well. Parents will be leading a workshop for professionals about supporting children with no hearing.
Chaired by Brian Lamb OBE, the South West Every Deaf Child Matters 2014 Conference (#SWEDCM2014) says "This conference has become an important national as well as regional event. It is at the forefront of bringing together leading speakers to share the latest thinking about the National context but also blends this with regional knowledge and practical understanding of local implications."
Keynote speaker Liz Sayce, OBE Chief Executive of Disability Rights UK, Anne Porter from the Department for Education and Jayne Carroll from Virgin Care Integrated Children’s Services Devon, will challenge and champion issues relating to working for better outcomes across the spectrum of deaf children’s need.
Over 100 professionals who work with deaf children and young people will have an opportunity to debate with sector experts and parents of deaf children and young people on a range of topics including supporting emotional health and wellbeing.
According to Sarah Collinson, the National Deaf Children's Society Regional Director South West, “Deafness can affect every part of a deaf child or young person’s life, from learning a first language at home to following what their teacher is saying at school, making friends and joining in play, learning to read and write, being able to express themselves, or even being able to buy something in a shop. Deaf children are still far more likely to under-achieve at school and experience mental health problems than hearing children. But it is often a very hidden and misunderstood disability and many deaf children and their families continue to face huge barriers and lack the crucial support that they need.”
Louise Cole, Consultant and Director of Heart of Deafness CIC adds “We talk often about the need to ensure joint working and to look at the whole child when developing services and support to help each individual to achieve their potential and realise their rights to happiness, health, language and communication, education and employment. The reality however, when resources are constrained is that this is much harder to achieve. This conference affords a real opportunity to build links and work together cost effectively at a time of resource constraints. Deafness is a low incidence disability and so sharing specialist approaches, joint commissioning and making sure every deaf child, no matter what their level of deafness is paramount.”
The event has attracted sponsorship from global technology companies including GNResound and Phonak. NHS England are also sponsoring indicating the growing awareness of the health sector need to support this vulnerable group who are often excluded and denied the opportunities that hearing children have. Other sponsors include specialist organisations: the National Deaf Children’s Society and Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education.
Organised by a steering group of representatives from the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) and Consultants, the fourth South West Every Deaf Child Matters Conference is taking place at the Rougemont Hotel in Exeter. A nationally representative Advisory Panel is made up of deaf specialist strategic leaders across health, education and care.
Notes to editors:
- Full information about the 2014 conference is available at: http://swedcm.weebly.com/
- Images and further comment will be available after the event.
- Twitter updates from the conference will be at #SWEDCM2014
- The 2013 EDCM Conference Report is available at: http://swedcm.weebly.com/2013.html
- For further information contact [email protected]
- Louise Cole 07881585395