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6. THE NUMBER OF PROFESSIONALS WHO PROVIDE LINGUISTIC ACCESS AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR DEAF PUPILS IN SCHOOLS

The Scottish Government does not routinely collect details of the numbers of specialist professionals working with deaf pupils. In order to obtain current information for this study, a questionnaire was distributed to all specialist deaf education/ HI services and schools throughout Scotland. As there was also a requirement to produce information on qualifications, it was necessary to ask Heads of Services to complete a series of questions for each member of staff. Appendix 4 shows the survey questions asked.

As local authority services re-organise, the nature of deaf education services is becoming increasingly complex. Some local authorities subsume deaf education services under generic provision; in these cases, some retain a formal co-ordinator and some do not. Some subdivide provision into generic network teams across a region. Pragmatic decisions were taken as to whether subdivisions were categorised as autonomous services or not - depending on practical ease of obtaining information. In returns from some services which cover more than one category of service, it was not possible to distinguish in which specific category a teacher was located. For these situations, aggregate categories were created (eg: 'visiting service plus resource base').

All 40 services returned survey data on numbers of staff. We are very grateful to Heads of Services for taking the time to participate so fully in the survey. Data on qualifications was less complete, while still representing a high rate of return: two provided information on numbers only and some did not provide information on qualifications for all staff.

It was not feasible, within the time and resources available, to collect other than the most basic information about staff in the current survey, and so more detailed information from most recent ADPS data is also included where possible.

6.1. NUMBERS OF TEACHERS OF DEAF CHILDREN (ToDs)

6.1.1. SCOPING STUDY SURVEY 2007 DATA

A total of 240 ToDs were reported to be working with deaf children across Scotland. As with data collected by ADPS in 2003, most of these are full time and located in visiting services (chart 1).

Information on 248 ToDs was collected in the 2003 survey. It was understood, at the time, that this represented a return rate of 82%. Thus is appears that there are fewer ToDs now than there were four years ago.

However, it may be that complexity in the developing frameworks of local Additional Support for Learning provision is causing distortion to the statistics. A high number of Learning Support Teachers (45) was reported to be working with deaf children in 2007. This is likely to reflect a move, in some areas, to more generic frameworks of provision. Eight of the 45 had obtained, or were in the process of acquiring, a specialist postgraduate qualification in deaf education. The 2007 ToD figure of 240 includes these eight.

It was clear that, in some areas, any teacher with a designated role in working with deaf children was categorised as a ToD, whether or not they had a specialist qualification; in other areas a similar teacher was classed as a Learning Support Teacher. Thus an unknown number of the remaining 37 Learning Support Teachers could conceivably have been previously categorised as unqualified ToDs.

Chart 1 Work setting and nature of contracts among ToDs in the preschool/school sector, 2007 (=240)

All ToDs were reported as being hearing except four staff. Of these four, two were categorised as being deaf and two as hard of hearing. Both deaf staff, and neither hard of hearing staff, were reported as using BSL to some extent with pupils. A more detailed exploration shows that each of the four was categorised differently in their specific language use with pupils.

Deaf ToD 1: 'only or mainly uses BSL'
Deaf ToD2: 'uses both English (spoken and/or sign supported) and BSL'
Hard of hearing ToD 1: 'only or mainly uses English (both spoken and sign supported)'
Hard of hearing ToD 2: 'only or mainly uses spoken English'

6.1.2. ADPS DATA (2003)

In 2003 ADPS received survey returns from 248 ToDs within the school sector. The vast majority were hearing. Of the rest, four were reported as being deaf, two as hard of hearing and one as having a monaural hearing loss.

As already noted, the majority of ToDs worked in visiting services and most were full-time.

Chart 2 demonstrates that, in 2003, the majority of ToDs (69%) were over 40 years old and a fifth were over 50 years old. Data was also collected about the availability of promoted post structures within the profession. Although 42% of the respondents did not answer this question, 28% reported that no promoted post structure was available to them and many others commented that structures were very limited. Both of these findings raise issues about the need to attract young teachers to the profession and about the lack of incentive available - particularly in the light of the fact that there is no financial reward for qualifying as a ToD.

Chart 2 Age range of ToDs 2003 (=255 [including 7 based in FE colleges])

Other data collected in the 2003 ToD survey includes: caseload/class sizes; subject specialisms; ethnic background; length of time on post; promotion possibilities; qualifications held; training undertaken and various aspects of chartered teacher status.

6.1.3. RECOMMENDATIONS

• There are indications that there are less ToDs than there were four years ago. However, variations in frameworks of service provision mean that it is not possible to be categorical about this. In some areas, generic titles such as 'Learning Support Teachers' have replaced the more specialist ToD title. It would be useful to monitor the implications of this, with respect to the specialist knowledge, understanding and skills required to meet linguistic access needs of deaf pupils.
• The number of deaf and hard of hearing ToDs is very small, and is less than it was four years ago. Incentives could be considered to attract more deaf teachers into the profession.
• The age profile of the ToD population in Scotland and limitations in specialist promotional structures, are causes for concern. There is a need to consider incentives to attract new teachers into the ToD profession: for example, financial incentives offered elsewhere in the UK.
• It would be useful to have updated information on ToD/pupil ratios, to explore the current extent of resourcing differences between local authorities.

6.2. NUMBERS OF OTHER PROFESSIONALS

6.2.1. SCOPING STUDY SURVEY 2007 DATA

Chart 3 shows that the majority of other professionals working with deaf pupils are in generic support roles, rather than in roles which explicitly relate to linguistic access (63%, excluding nursery staff). Section 7.2 indicates what is known about the extent of specific qualifications relating to linguistic access among these learning support staff.

As noted beneath the chart, there is likely to be under-reporting of Speech and Language Therapists, because they tend to be employed, at least in part, by health boards, rather than by local authority education departments. This fact also initially affected the data reported on educational audiologists: an initial under-report was identified, and successfully addressed, because of anecdotal information received. It was not possible to similarly address the under-report of Speech and Language Therapists, within the scope of this project.

The small number of qualified educational audiologists is a cause for concern, because of the importance of audition as an access strategy for the majority of deaf children, among those who wear hearing aids as well as those who have implants. Only 12 trained staff are employed throughout Scotland, and only three of these are outwith the central belt. Although, as already noted, the cochlear implant centre provides support to implanted children across Scotland, they express concern at the regional variation in local staff who are qualified to provide necessary ongoing intensive support.

Chart 3 Numbers of 'other professionals' working with deaf pupils in Scotland, 2007 (=182)

* There is likely to be some under-reporting of Speech and Language Therapists
** A further 2 ToDs are in the early stages of Educational Audiology training, and have been included in the ToD numbers

Thirteen percent (25) of the total number of these other professionals are deaf. Chart 4 shows the breakdown of this number in terms of the type of service they work for. It shows that the majority (60%) work in schools for deaf children; only one works for a solely visiting service.

Chart 4 Location of deaf 'other professionals' working with deaf pupils in 2007 (=25)

6.2.2. ADPS DATA ON THE RANGE OF SPECIALIST SUPPORT AND ACCESS PROFESSIONALS (INCLUDES ToDS) (2004/2005)

ADPS did not collect head-count data on professionals other than ToDs. However, detailed data was collected, on an individual pupil basis, on the types and qualifications of all professionals, within visiting services, who provided access and support to pupils, and on the number of hours supplied.

As yet, little of these data is explored. For the purposes of this study, it was necessary to narrow the focus to pupils with the greatest degree of hearing loss in the most recent year of data collection, in order to analyse and present most relevant data within the resources available. Information was provided on 241 out of the 307 pupils in this category for whom returns were completed in 2004/2005.

As respondents completed details of the titles of professionals in an open field (as opposed to tick-box choices) a variety of titles were used for the same role (eg Learning Support Assistant; Additional Needs Assistant; SEN Assistant etc). It was necessary to manually conflate these titles to provide a clear picture.

Also, when viewing findings from this data, it is important to note that a number of the same kind of professional may provide support to the same pupil; one pupil may, for example, have support from 3 ToDs. At the same time, one professional is likely to provide support to more than one pupil. Therefore this data cannot be directly compared with the 2007 'headcount' survey data. Bearing these complications in mind, Table 5 illustrates the range of professionals who provided linguistic access and support to severely deaf/ profoundly deaf/cochlear implanted pupils who received a visiting service in 2004/2005(ie, staff working with pupils in special schools for deaf pupils are not included). It shows that ToDs were the professionals most likely to provide a service, followed by Speech and Language Therapists and then Learning Support Assistants.

The table also shows the average number of hours of access/support provided per pupil per term (assuming a term length of 13 weeks). Although Speech and Language Therapists provided one of the highest instances of service, the table confirms, as would be expected, that they spend a relatively small amount of time with pupils. Their role is more likely to be in the form of one to one assessment outside of the classroom. As a contrast, the highest average number of hours was provided by the Learning Support Assistants, who are likely to be providing an in-class service. As with the 2007 survey, the qualifications reported of these staff, detailed in Section 7.2, below, may give some indication of the extent to which the role specifically addresses linguistic access issues.

An in-class service is also most likely to be provided by the relatively small numbers of Communication Support Workers and Specialist Support Assistants, who also provided relatively high numbers of hours of support. ToDs may provide a combination of in-class and 1:1 or small group tuition: they show high levels of instances of service as well as high number of hours.

6.2.3. RECOMMENDATIONS

• At present there are only 12 trained educational audiologists covering 32 local authorities in Scotland. There is a particular need to consider the relevant capacity of services outwith the central belt.
• The majority of professionals, other than ToDs, who work with deaf pupils, have generic 'learning support' titles. More information is needed in order to ascertain the nature and extent of specific linguistic access and support provided by them. Section 7.2 provides information on specific qualifications.
• The majority of the 25 'other professionals' deaf staff are located in schools for deaf children. There is a particular lack of deaf staff within visiting services who provide services to deaf children in mainstream schools. This is also an area for further consideration.

Table 5 Quantity of additional linguistic support/access provided by educational professionals to severely/profoundly deaf and cochlear implanted pupils who received a specialist visiting service in 2004/2005 (=241*)

* 66 other questionnaire returns for pupils in these hearing loss categories did not provide information on access/support
** Caution: An 'instance' represents a commitment of service by one professional to one pupil in 2004/2005. The instances do not equate to the number of pupils (more than one of the same type of professionals may have worked with an individual pupil). The totals for each category of professional are also likely to be higher than the actual number in that category, as one member of staff may have worked with a number of pupils.

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