Children are normally referred to the Hearing Support Service by health professionals and we only accept referrals for children and young people with a medically diagnosed hearing loss.
Children with temporary conductive hearing loss (Glue Ear) are not routinely referred to the Hearing Support Service. Find out more about what you can do if you are concerned.
Make a referral to the HSS
Please complete the online referral form with as much detail as possible. Medical reports and other relevant documents can be uploaded onto the referral form.
If you have any queries, please email or phone us.
Referrals are accepted for children and young people:
- with a medically diagnosed hearing loss
- from medical professionals, such as Audiology and ENT
- from other Local Authorities and professionals when a child moves to the area or attends a Dorset Council or Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) placement
What happens when a child is referred to the HSS
If your child receives a diagnosis of a hearing loss, they will be referred to the HSS. You will need to complete a parent agreement form with your contact details.
When we receive the referral we will contact you within 5 working days to arrange an appointment. We will contact you within 48 hours for newly diagnosed babies from the new-born hearing screening programme. This will either be at home or school depending on the age of the child.
Support for children depends on several factors. We use National Sensory Impairment Partnership (NatSIP) guidance to assess and check support levels for children.