Meeting the Needs of Children and Families:

Part One

Student Name: Yunfan Jiang

Student No: 300620899

Date: Mar 6, 2012

Lily and Her family 4 –year-old Lily has a severe hearing

impairment Her first time in a childcare centre Parents are newcomers to Toronto Parents primarily speak Cantonese, English as

the 2nd language Lily has an older brother aged 6 and a baby

sister aged 6 months

Needs of Lily and Her family

Needs of Lily:Possible separation anxietyAdapt to the environment and daily routine of centerCommunication with teachers and peersHearing impairment treatment Inclusive program to facilitate her development in

physical, cognitive, social, emotional & language Resource available in centerProfessional supporting services outside center (eg.

professional hearing agency)

Needs of Lily and Her family

Needs of family:Language barrierTotally strange surrounding environment Economical strainsLooking for jobHeavy houseworkTime limitedHearing test for the 6-month daughterFinancially, emotionally and psychologically social

support from community services

About Hearing ImpairmentDefinition Losing some hearing in one or both ears. Degree of severity Mild, Moderate, Severe and Profound Types Conductive, Sensory, Mixed and NeuralCharacteristics of severe hearing impairment Can not hear any normal conversation and only a few

sounds of loud speech. Problems with inner ear or connection from the cochlea

to the brain. Can not filter out the background noise.

Meeting Needs within Childcare Setting

Modifications to the physical environmentEnsure good lightingUse photographs, pictures or other methods

to convey informationKeep visual displayers and toys at eye level.Reduce the amount of noise in the classroomModify activities and materials

Meeting Needs within Childcare Setting

Teaching strategiesAllow time for separation anxiety and

transitionsMore observation, positive response and

emotional support Use as many visual aids as possible to

communicate with her positively and warmlyCollaborate with parents and offer support Always face Lily and speak naturally and clearlyEstablish a procedure in case of an emergency.

Meeting Needs within Childcare Setting

Considerations within the larger group:Encourage a positive acceptance of Lily by other

children.Make sure Lily to attend the group activities by

adapting the activities to meet her needs.Facilitate collaboration between Lily and other

children and reinforce social interactionEncourage Lily to express herself by sign languageLearn about related knowledge and adopt

suggestions from audiologist

Referred Agencies and ResourcesCanadian Hearing Society Not-for-profit agency, the leading provider of services, products,

and information for people with hearing impairment (www.chs.ca)

Toronto Children’s Services Provide a broad range of child care services, including fee

subsidy, family resources, special needs resourcing, etc. (ww.toronto.ca/children)

Centre for Information & Community Services Provide a wide range of settlement programs and services for

immigrants. (http://www.cicscanada.com)Family Drop-in Program Children (0-6 years) and their parents participate in creative and

educational activities together. (http://www.bobrumball.org/BRCD/oeyc.html)

Bibliography1. Rena Shimoni, Joanne Baxter. Working with Families. Toronto:

Pearson Canada Inc., 2008.2. Turecki, S., L. Tonner. The difficult Child. New York: Bantam, 1989.3. Inclusion of Children with Special Needs: Reading Package. “Hearing

Impairments”4. Class notes5. http://www.hearing.com.au/digitalAssets/8911_1241584786681_H

earing-impaired-child-in-the-classroom.pdf6. http://www.as.wvu.edu/~scidis/hearing.html#sect07. http://karenplumley.suite101.com/learning-difficulties-for-the-heari

ng-impaired-a84153 8. http://www.mydr.com.au/kids-teens-health/hearing-impairment-an

d-schoolchildren9. http://www.chs.ca10. http://ww.toronto.ca/children11. http://www.cicscanada.com12. http://www.bobrumball.org/BRCD/oeyc.html