THOUSANDS of deaf children across Scotland are not getting enough support after a 40% drop in the number of specialist support teachers in the last decade, a charity has warned.
A new report by the Consortium for Research into Deaf Education found that the number of Teachers of the Deaf with the mandatory qualification has fallen from 165 in 2011 to 100 in 2022.
And the National Deaf Children’s Society is warning the situation is likely to get worse, with around 45% of specialist teachers planning to retire over the next decade.
The charity said Teachers of the Deaf play a vital role in supporting the language and communication development of deaf children and warned that increasing numbers are missing out on this support.
Mark Ballard, head of policy and influencing for Scotland with the National Deaf Children’s Society, said: “Every deaf child in Scotland should, as a fundamental right, be able to get the support they need from a fully qualified Teacher of the Deaf to help them reach their full potential.
“We are very concerned that these new figures show a 40% fall in the numbers of qualified Teachers of the Deaf in Scotland, twice the decline in other parts of the UK.
“With the right support in place, deaf children can achieve anything their peers can, but this isn’t happening. The latest Scottish Government statistics show they’re twice as likely to leave school with no qualifications and half as likely to go to university.
“That’s why we want to see a commitment from local authorities and the Scottish Government to work together to return the number of fully qualified Teachers of the Deaf employed across Scotland to the 2011 level, over the next 10 years.”
The charity also wants the Scottish Government to develop and deliver a Scotland-wide workforce strategy for Teachers of the Deaf, and to ensure they are properly paid for the extra responsibilities they take on, in recognition that their specialist expertise is valued. This would involve fully funded places being available for teachers who want to study for the mandatory qualifications, so a new generation of Teachers of the Deaf can be trained to replace those who are leaving.
The charity said that Teachers of the Deaf give advice to families of newly identified deaf children, visit deaf children at school or college to give them any extra help they need, and provide guidance to mainstream teachers and schools on deaf awareness and inclusion.
Gemma Laird from the Kennoway area of Fife, whose 13-year-old daughter is deaf, described her Teacher of the Deaf as an “absolute necessity” who quickly solves any issues.
She said: “We are a hearing family and although my daughter’s hearing needs are not as big as other young people’s, ... the Teacher of the Deaf has helped validate my daughter’s past experiences, educate myself on my daughter’s needs and empower her to be confident in the school.”
The Scottish Government and Cosla were asked for comment.
