Fife Council has moved to allay worried parents’ fears a vital service for deaf children is facing the axe.
Parents had been left upset and angry as rumours spread that Fife’s sensory support service would be cut in only days, as schools across the kingdom prepared to close for their summer holidays.
They feared for their child’s future if the specialist help currently on offer to youngsters with profound or milder hearing loss were to disappear.
One concerned father, who is also the chairman of Fife Deaf Children’s Society, said any cuts “would not only be stealing our child’s education, it would be stealing their future”.
However, the council promised there would be no cuts.
Fife Council’s additional support needs officer Alistair Haldane said: “I would like to reassure parents and carers that there is no intention to close this service or dilute it in any way.
“There are a few staff retiring but it’s planned to fill all these posts and discussion is continuing on the future structure of the service.”
Steven Braid, the chairman of Fife Deaf Children’s Society and dad to Niamdh, 7, had immediately contacted the local authority on hearing several key members were leaving and would not be replaced, or would be replaced by inexperienced or unqualified teachers of the deaf.
Niamdh, a pupil at Pitteuchar West, has bilateral hearing loss and has to wear two hearing aids.
What also concerned him was that he, like others he had spoken to whose children also relied on the service, had had no word from the council that the changes were imminent.
“They are saying the service is not going to be a diluted service and I hope that is the case, but I fear it is not now going to be run by experienced staff.
“The only person trained to maintain the technology my child relies on in school is no longer going to be there.”
Another parent upset at the rumours was Lisa Flynn, whose four-year-old son Hayden receives help at nursery.
She feared for the impact on his development of a drop in service.
“As a parent you just want the absolute best – every child is entitled to the very best education possible.”
