Vital for The Shepherd Centre’s services for deaf children are hearing and speech perception assessments. It is essential we know how well children can hear different sounds, pitch, volume and people’s speech so we can program their hearing devices to optimise their hearing. If their hearing is not adequate, their ability to learn to listen ...
The Shepherd Centre - For Deaf Children
Assessing hearing and speech perception in deaf children – replacing obsolete equipment
GOAL
$21,384
Australia > National / Multi-state > Metro and Regional
Field of Interest
- Health/wellbeing and medical research
- Individual/family services and support
Target Population
- People with a disability, illness or disease
- Early years (0-5)
The Shepherd Centre - For Deaf Children
The Shepherd Centre is a world-leading provider of early intervention services, specialising in teaching children with hearing loss to listen and speak through evidence-based practices. Since 1970 we have empowered children with hearing loss to listen and speak and have a voice in the community and in their future. We provide supports across all age groups from early intervention and therapy programs for babies and young children, through to mentoring, wellbeing and peer-connections for teenagers and young people to navigate their hearing loss journey and build support and social networks.
At the heart of our approach is the belief that every child deserves equal opportunities to develop communication skills that will serve them throughout their lives. While the child remains the central focus of our programs, we recognise that parents play a crucial role in their child's auditory and language development. Therefore, we actively empower parents to become primary facilitators in providing their children with access to sound and fostering communication skills at home.
Purpose: "Empower voice. Amplify possibility." We believe every child should have a voice in this world and be able to connect with others, participate authentically and equitably, and live life to the fullest.
Mission: "To empower generations of children with hearing loss to listen, speak and have a voice."
Vision: "A World of Choice"; where deaf children achieve things they never thought possible: connect in new ways, discover new opportunities, make former barriers obsolete, and grow in their confidence to shape a future of their choosing.
Project Summary
Vital for The Shepherd Centre’s services for deaf children are hearing and speech perception assessments. It is essential we know how well children can hear different sounds, pitch, volume and people’s speech so we can program their hearing devices to optimise their hearing. If their hearing is not adequate, their ability to learn to listen and speak is compromised and they will fall behind developmentally. These assessments are vital for providing accurate, ongoing hearing health support to children in our service, ensuring cohesive monitoring and tailored intervention strategies.
The audiometers we currently use to run the software to perform these audiological assessment and monitoring services in our NSW and ACT centres have recently been classified as obsolete. To sustain a high standard of uninterrupted service delivery, we will replace the ageing devices with new equipment, suitable for conducting these comprehensive audiological assessments and monitoring services for children well into the future.
Project Outcomes
• Replacement of seven obsolete audiometers with the latest equipment, which will service approximately 700 deaf children, adolescents and adults at multiple times throughout each year for many years to come.
• Children with hearing loss will have continuous access to clear sounds. Any hearing or speech perception issues or fluctuations and/or deterioration in hearing will be quickly identified so that their hearing devices can be suitably adjusted.
• Combining early intervention and clear access to sound, deaf children’s listening, spoken language and communication skills will continuously improve and they will be more likely to start school with age-appropriate speech, listening, and social skills.
• No limit on what children can achieve despite having hearing loss – deaf children will have the same opportunities as their peers to access school, community activities and social activities on an equitable basis, from classroom and playground activities at school, to weekend sport, arts activities such as dance and music, and social activities with their friends, ensuring a vibrant childhood.
• All children who have accessed the Shepherd Centre’s services will be able to have ongoing access to hearing testing and management of their hearing devices as adults, ensuring lifelong optimum access to sound.
Budget Breakdown
TOTAL BUDGET: $149,688
EXPENSES
| Expense item | Amount |
|---|---|
| 7 x Affinity audiometer ($18,700 each) | $130,900 |
| 7 x audiometer keyboard ($2,640 each) | $18,480 |
| 7 x freight & handling ($44 each) | $308 |
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