House of Commons · Westminster Hall
12 December 2023 · 3 other contributors · 4,536 words
Opened by Sally-Ann Hart Con Hastings and Rye
Responding minister: Maria Caulfield
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Sally-Ann Hart raised concerns about auditory verbal therapy in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key points
Key requests to Government
To increase access to specialist support, we need to train more specialist practitioners. For an investment of £2 million a year over the next decade, we can transform the landscape of auditory verbal provision and deliver significant economic benefits.
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
There are about 50,000 deaf children in the UK, with over 7,000 under the age of five. These children face lower academic achievement, employment prospects, and poor mental health, bullying, and social exclusion without access to early, effective support like auditory verbal therapy (AVT). Less than 10% of deaf children who could benefit from AVT can currently access it, with only 30 therapists in the UK.
Asked if today's debate might play a small part in ensuring that various Departments skill up necessary personnel so we do not face this problem in five or ten years' time.
Helen Hayes acknowledged the importance of auditory verbal therapy, citing its evidence-based approach. She highlighted that there are around 50,000 deaf children in the UK, with approximately 7,200 under five years old. Hayes expressed concern over the significant attainment gap between deaf and hearing children, which grows to a staggering 17.5 months by age 16. She also noted the decline in qualified teachers of the deaf despite an increase in the number of deaf children needing support. The shadow Minister discussed schools' role in supporting children with hearing loss, noting that teachers must hold a mandatory qualification in sensory impairment. The Minister committed to working on cross-Government initiatives to join up healthcare and education support for these children.
Scotland aims to be the best place for deaf children through its 'Getting it Right for Every Child' approach. The Scottish Government funds units like CALL Scotland and the Scottish Sensory Centre to provide advice, training, and support using assistive technology. There is a unit attached to a primary school in Marion Fellows' constituency. She emphasized the importance of auditory verbal therapy and the need for more specialists across the UK. Concerns were raised about language development delays due to pandemic restrictions. The SNP representative raised concerns about the number of therapists working in the NHS in Scotland, echoing similar issues mentioned by other speakers.
Government Response
Maria CaulfieldThe Government is committed to improving outcomes and experiences for all children with special educational needs, including those with hearing loss. With over 50,000 deaf children in the UK, early intervention is crucial. The Minister highlighted investments in newborn screening and a 17% increase in speech and language therapists since 2018. NHS England has met with Auditory Verbal UK to discuss research needs for AVT, acknowledging current limitations due to a lack of NICE guidelines and evidence base. The Government will continue prioritising NHS investment and is undertaking the biggest recruitment drive for nursing and allied health professionals in decades. Innovations like Early Language and Support for Every Child projects aim to reduce exacerbation of need leading to specialist referrals or EHC plans. The Minister emphasised the importance of local commissioners ensuring AVT services are commissioned and upskilling their workforces.