The Children’s Hearing Services Working Group (CHSWG ) meets three times a year – once every term. PaCC Reps, Anna Davis and Alison Davis, sit alongside the panel of professionals, who represent the services that work with children who are deaf, whether that deafness is permanent or temporary, aided or unaided. Services represented are typically the Sensory Needs Team from BHISS, Community Audiology (SCF NHS Trust), Audiology (USH NHS Trust), Paediatrics as well as Specialist Speech and Language Therapy. A representative from the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) also attends the meetings and there is regular engagement with Paediatric ENT (Ear Nose and Throat). Occasionally we have visiting professionals from other services e.g. Deaf CAMHS and Cochlear Implant centres.
At CHSWG meetings, each service gives updates about how they are doing and what they are planning, and parent reps offer a perspective on how this may impact on families and their children and young people. The NDCS is able to put this into the context of the national picture, and to brief about their initiatives and opportunities. The professionals’ updates are very helpful, as what is happening in one service may have a direct impact on other services. Parent reps are able to feedback both positive and challenging experiences from their community and have also been able to initiate and coproduce projects that our community has identified as a need. The parent reps are currently producing a transitions guide, which sets out clearly what each service looks like at different key stages, and what parents can expect to change/remain the same from the services though their child’s journey.
It has been a real privilege to be part of CHSWG, as parent reps, and to be able to engage in a positive way with the ‘sharp end’ of services. Seeing different professionals sitting down together and talking through their services and the impact that they have on deaf children and their families has been eye opening and is a really constructive way for services and parents to work together and improve the experience of our children and families.
Find out more about CHSWG here