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The Deaf Education Program and Vision Education Program Early Childhood Services provide support and early intervention to families and children from birth (or point of diagnosis) to the start of Pre-Primary.
All children with diagnosed hearing loss, vision impairment or dual sensory loss may be eligible for service from SSEN: S. Once eligibility is determined for specialist support, service provision will be allocated according to individual need.
Family-centred programs, including parent education, are run on-site at Padbury Statewide Services Centre and Southwell Primary School. Individual programs occur either on-site or in the child’s home.
All programs and services provide young children with opportunities to maximise their potential and develop a foundation for future success in learning.
Deaf Education Early Childhood Service
Deaf Education Early Childhood Services (ECS) provide family-centred group and individual teaching and learning programs at Padbury Statewide Services Centre and Southwell Primary School. Our ECS programs include:
- Playgroup - A program catering for families and their children aged 0-3 years with a focus on child development through play-based activities. Playgroup enables practical, relevant, and effective specialist support to assist children in achieving their optimal educational outcomes. Playgroup also provides families with an opportunity to connect with other families on a similar journey.
- Lighthouse Littlies – A specialised program catering for children aged 3-4 years, that focuses on the whole child while building communication and social skills, as well as the knowledge and understanding to support them in school readiness and transition, guided by St Gabriel’s Curriculum for the development of audition, language, speech, cognition, Early Years Learning Framework and the Western Australian Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines.
- Individual Sessions – Tailored to each child and their family, the sessions involve working together with a Teacher of the Deaf who works to guide families in the development of their child’s social communication and language. Parents are supported in these sessions, and strategies to facilitate their child’s development are modelled and discussed. A specialist curriculum leads this process and development is monitored every step of the way.
- Rural Setting - Children in rural and remote areas can access individual programs via web conferencing or the visiting teacher service.
Early Childhood Service
Deaf Education
Vision Education Early Childhood Service
The Vision Education Early Childhood Service provides one-to-one educational intervention support for children and families.
Our experienced teachers in vision impairment engage in family-centred practises and understand the unique needs of children with vision impairment. We deliver individualised early intervention programs in the home, care centre or kindergarten that focus on essential skills, concepts, and understandings to support child development. As a holistic support, we work with the family and school to determine and plan for the individual developmental needs and strengths of the child - enhancing readiness for school, and setting the foundations for educational wellbeing, engagement and achievement.
Our program focusses on developmental areas such as conceptual understanding, sensory development, emergent literacy and numeracy, tactile skills, functional vision skills, orientation and mobility, and emergent braille reading and writing skills. We use the Developmental Journal for babies and young children with visual impairment, Early Years Learning Framework, and the Western Australian Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines to guide planning and learning opportunities.
The Vision Education ECS teacher:
- regularly provides support at home or care centre in both metropolitan and country areas
- models teaching and learning practises
- engages and develops your child’s emerging skills
- loans specific resources aligned to the educational program and curriculum
- assists with transition support to care centres and schools
- offers opportunities for parent workshops and networking.
Early Childhood Service
Vision Education
As SSEN: S educational programs and services are government funded, they will be provided at no cost to the school, parents, or guardians of eligible students with hearing loss, vision impairment or dual sensory loss.
At SSEN: S it is our mission to ensure every child with hearing loss, vision impairment or dual sensory loss achieves to their full potential.
