Dear Mr. /Ms Thom,

Freedom of Information Request 60005

I refer to your request made under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000 in which you requested information regarding what provision social services offer profoundly deaf children from 2003 to April 2009 and apologise for the delay in responding.

Merseyside Society for Deaf People (MSDP) provides a range of services including social work (assessment, person centred planning and provision) and environmental equipment assessment and provision to Liverpool children (from birth to their 19^th birthday) who have been diagnosed by Primary Care Trust (PCT) as having a hearing loss, who are defined as Children in Need (Children Act 1989).

Our priority is early intervention to ensure that the five outcomes outlined in `Every Child Matters' are achieved and that the individual needs of deaf children in Liverpool are identified and addressed.

MSDP endeavor to aim higher for deaf children and their families. We work to ensure that all deaf children achieve optimal outcomes through close liaison with children, their families and other professionals and agencies.

We work to ensure that the needs of deaf children are not marginalized within the wider disability forum, and are addressed throughout the `Every Child Matters' agenda and the Liverpool Children and Young People's Plan.

MSDP has provided family sign language to improve communication with immediate and extended family members in their own home.

27 children attend deaf resource bases of primary and secondary school age and communicate using British Sign Language (BSL). An additional 201 children/young people are registered with MSDP who attend mainstream school; a proportion of these children/young people use BSL in social settings I.e. after-school provision.

MSDP provide after-school/ play scheme activities for 4 - 19 year olds. These activities are fully accessible for deaf children/young people. Hearing children/young people also attend these activities.

I trust this information satisfies your enquiry.

Yours sincerely

W Twigge (pp)

Information Manager

Liverpool City Council

Wendy Twigge Information Manager Legal Services

Municipal Buildings, Dale Street, Liverpool, L2 2DH

tel: 0151 225 3132 fax: 0151 225 2392 email: [email address]