Educational Studies (Early Years and Deafness) - 2012 entry

Course content

This course was constructed as a direct response to the newborn hearing screening programme (NHS) and the consultation documents from DfCSF and the Department of Health, ‘Together from the Start’ and ‘Early Intervention for Deaf Babies 0 to third birthday’. All of these policy developments stress the importance of professionals involved in supporting families having additional training with respect to:

• understanding very early child development
• understanding the impact of specific needs and disabilities on child development
• working in partnership with families on what effective family-centred services should encompass
• effective multi-agency working, including the team around the child.

The course comprises three modules, each rated at 20 master's-level CATS points. You will be guided by a personal tutor and will be supported in your own professional setting by a mentor; each module includes one residential weekend.

A very clear focus of this course is the raising of achievements of deaf children and the confidence of families in meeting their child’s needs as a result of effective early intervention and support. We are excited by the possibility of contributing to the professional development of a range of practitioners who are committing themselves to working with very young deaf children and their families and carers, and welcome you to the course.

The course is made up of the following three modules:

The Developing Deaf Infant 0-2 years

The aim of this module is to place the development of communication of deaf infants within an overall framework of the developmental process. You explore a range of approaches to monitoring development of babies who are deaf but with particular emphasis on areas at risk because of early childhood deafness. This includes training in the use of tools such as the Early Support Monitoring Protocols and Developmental Journals, video analysis and how to interpret and respond to the evidence gained.

Early Audiological Management

The aim of this module is to consider issues in relation to the effective prescription and fitting of amplification aids for very young deaf children; this includes different approaches to hearing aid management and evaluation and relative roles in gaining the evidence to support these. Issues relating to advising families in relation to establishing aids and promoting effective listening behaviour are also explored.

Working with the Family and other Professionals

The aim of this module is to provide an overview of family models and parenting styles current in the UK; to explore different models of working with the families of very young deaf children, including those reflected in Early Support (DFES) and in international initiatives, such as the Family Partnership model. Integrated working practices and how these might be developed or improved to secure consistent and effective services for the child are explored.

As our courses are reviewed regularly, course content and module choices may change from the details given here.

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department

School of Education

Course length

Part-time: 24 months maximum

Teaching location

Distance learning / Mary Hare School

Start date

September 2012
January 2013

Entry requirements

Applicants should normally be graduates and hold an additional qualification relevant to education, early years, audiology and/or deafness.

The course is open to graduate practitioners currently working with, or intending to specialise in working with, babies and young children who are deaf. These may be from a range of fields - education, early years, social care, or health, but applicants must have some experience and/or qualification relevant to the field of deafness.

Other candidates may be considered in exceptional circumstances.

Scholarships and funding

For general sources of financial support, see:

• funding for students from the UK and EU
• funding for students from outside the EU

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