Training and resources for professionals

The Nottingham Auditory implant Programme works closely with local professionals when assessing and monitoring the progress of patients. We feel that it is important to share information and advice and have developed a range of resources to use in conjunction with local professionals.

Members of the Listening and Communication Specialists (LCS) Team provide training, where possible, to groups at local level and have also developed an annual timetable of centre-based and virtual training.

For more information email:  nuhnt.naip@nhs.net

Professional Development Groups

ToD CI Champions 

Currently, our Listening and Communication Specialist (LCS) team provide a needs led service, with a blend of virtual , outreach and in house support, with close collaboration with local professionals.  We aim to strengthen this model, by taking the success of the BAA and BCIG 2019 Audiology Champions initiative and developing it to form our own TOD Cochlear Implant Champions programme. This group meets virtually on a termly basis 

Who is it for: 
This network is for Teachers of the Deaf (ToDs) from different localities who work with children who have been implanted at NAIP. 

What is it for?  
NAIP hosts this initiative to promote collaborative learning, as a forum for sharing updates between services/cochlear implant pre and post pathway information and for coproduction. Alongside this, we are able to  exchange resources, insights, and advancements in hearing technology and deaf education.  ToDs then relay this information back to their teams, creating a network of shared expertise and a resource base of information.

What do we cover?
Meetings cover:  

  • Updates on Cochlear Implant technology, research, and best practices.  
  • Service updates and key information on NAIPs referral, assessment, and aftercare pathways 
  • Resource sharing: practical tools, assessment materials and strategies for supporting children who are cochlear implant users
  • A forum for troubleshooting technology issues / challenges 
  • Networking connecting ToDs across different regions to foster collaboration. 
  • Updates for NAIP in terms of changes in education and provision for hearing impaired children

By joining, ToDs become part of a strong, interlinked learning community that enhances support for children and young people with cochlear implants, which they can then take back and share with their teams as the CI Champion.  For further information email: nuhnt.naip@nhs.net 

 

Early Years Professional Development Group

This group meets twice a year, usually on a Wednesday, 10:00pm - 4.00pm at Ropewalk House.

Who is it for?

The sessions are free of charge and open to teachers of the deaf and speech and language therapists who work with young deaf children using cochlear implants. 

What is it for?

We aim to encourage joint working between local teachers of the deaf and speech and language therapists. We have training sessions in relevant areas and pool our expertise to develop new resources which could capture the information that we think is valuable when monitoring young deaf children’s listening and spoken language development.

What do we cover?

Recent and forthcoming topics include the emergence of babble, speech production development, speech acoustics, language development and play.

To join the group or to receive details of future sessions please contact Amanda Odell:

Tel: 0115 948 5549   Email: amanda.odell2@nhs.net

 

Events

Annual Listening & Communication Conference 2025

Date: Wednesday, 2nd July 2025  
Venue: Post Graduate Centre, Queen’s Medical Centre  
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM  

After a pause last year, we are pleased to welcome back our Annual Training Conference for Teachers of the Deaf and Speech & Language Therapists!  

What to Expect:
The conference will feature expert presentations and opportunities for co-production, topics include:  
- The Role of ABR and current challenges in audiology  
- Parent Voice: Early diagnosis & CI assessment decision-making (presentation by 2 parents)  
- Impact of Early Diagnosis: managing change & supporting difficult conversations (Dan Brooks, Clinical Psychologist – NAIP)  
- Deaf CAMHS: New assessment service pilot  
- Vanderbilt Fatigue Scale: interactive co-production group activity  

Plus: What’s new from CI Manufacturers and pitches from each, and NAIP updates

Getting There: 
Park & Ride available to QMC  
PG Centre is located on a tram line with a stop right outside  
Limited hospital parking 

Contact Angela Maxwell at nuhnt.naip@nhs.net for further information and to book a place. Delegate places are available but will fill quickly! 

Resources

Leaflets

Helping your baby learn to listen 

This leaflet is aimed at helping parents/carers to switch on their baby’s awareness of sound and listening. It is useful for children who have hearing aids or cochlear implants.

Improving communication for people with severe/profound hearing loss

This booklet includes advice and information on how you can make the most of your hearing, and what others can do to help when you cannot hear easily. It also includes information on useful organisations and resources you might use.

Cochlear implant assessment for adults and older children

This leaflet explains what a cochlear implant is and  outlines the appointments that may be required to help decide whether patients would benefit from cochlear implantation.

Preparing for your cochlear implant

This leaflet explains how a cochlear implant works and the main risks associated with a cochlear implant operation. It would be helpful for patients when preparing for a meeting with one of our surgeons.

The following leaflets are designed to help patients when receiving their new sound processors and accessories, either before initial programming or when a new replacement processor is being issued:

An introduction to your new equipment - Nucleus 7  leaflet to print

An introduction to your new equipment - Nucleus 7  pdf web doc

An introduction to your new equipment - Kanso 2  leaflet to print

An introduction to your new equipment - Kanso 2  pdf web doc

An introduction to your new equipment - Sonnet 2 leaflet to print

An introduction to your new equipment - Rondo 3  leaflet to print

2590v1_An introduction to your new equipment - Rondo 3 pdf web doc

An introduction to your new equipment - Naida Q90 leaflet to print

An introduction to your new equipment - Naida Q90  pdf web doc

 

NAMES: Nottingham Auditory Milestones

Record Sheets image NAMES is a profile that was developed by the Nottingham Auditory Implant Programme for our youngest clients (under 2-3 years old at the time of operation). It is based on recognised developmental hierarchies and charts progress in the growth of active listening and auditory memory from very early listening skills through to a sufficient understanding of spoken language to enable children to learn by listening within a group situation as would typically be the case in early educational settings.

NAMES is designed to be used by teachers of the deaf, speech and language therapists or other local professionals along with parents and carers. Progress is charted by familiar adults, based on observations of responses and behaviours in everyday situations and in play based activities.

Click below to download copies of the NAMES profile and supporting materials:

NAMES instruction booklet

NAMES summary record

NAMES extended examples

NAMES probe activities

Listening skills questionnaire

To obtain further information speak to any member of our Outreach Support Team or contact: nuhnt.naip@nhs.net

 

NAMES Trajectory

Image This new tool is based on, and used alongside, the NAMES profile (above). The development of the trajectory tool was based on the outcomes of implanted children measured on the NAMES profile (Datta et al., 2018). The distribution of their profile scores across five assessment time-points, established a developmental trajectory for typically developing children during the first three years after cochlear implantation.

The trajectory tool is designed and validated only for children implanted under the age of two years, who have no other diagnosed difficulties. It automatically converts scores to a chart plotted against a background of the expected range of scores for each assessment interval and provides a mechanism to identify children not making the expected progress. This flags up and supports the need for a review of approach or a differential diagnosis if necessary.

Click below to download the NAMES trajectory as a Microsoft Excel document. Save it as your master or template and then use ‘Save as ….’ to save separate copies as individual records for each child:

NAMES trajectory

Related study:

Datta, G. et.al. Development and validation of the Nottingham Auditory Milestones (NAMES) profile for deaf children under 2 years old, using cochlear implants. Cochlear Implants International, 19(4): 181-192.

To obtain further information speak to any member of our Outreach Support Team or contact: nuhnt.naip@nhs.net

 

Early CaLL: Early Cognitive and Listening Links (Revised 2019)

images of Early CaLL image This profile was developed by the Outreach Support Team at NAIP, for children with complex needs, specifically those with severe/profound learning difficulties. The families of children with significant additional difficulties are unlikely to have a clear guide for expectations of cochlear implantation, as the vast majority of information currently available, focuses on the typically developing population. This framework aims to help parents/carers and professionals when discussing expectations for outcomes. It explores the fundamental inter-relationship between a child’s listening and understanding and their cognitive and communicative abilities and how these inter-relationships impact on likely outcomes. After implantation, it also gives us the opportunity to record small steps of progress over the first five years of cochlear implant use which informs on-going expectations and planning.

The framework has two main sections, an individual developmental profile and a record of signal tolerance and equipment use. It also includes a range of supporting materials.

Click below to download copies of the Early CaLL profile and supporting materials (Revised 2019):

Early CaLL instruction booklet

Early CaLL case studies

Early CaLL record of equipment use, signal tolerance and integration

Early CaLL individual detailed profile

Early CaLL detailed examples for strands

To obtain further information speak to any member of our Outreach Support Team or contact: nuhnt.naip@nhs.net

Related Studies:

Datta, G. et. al. (2020) The development and implementation Early Cognitive and Listening Links (Early CaLL) Cochlear Implants International, 21(1): 18-34

Datta, G. et. al.(2020) An analysis of the five year outcomes of a cohort of 46 deaf children using the Early Cognitive and Listening Links (Early CaLL): Cochlear Implants International, 21(1): 35-45

 

The Outreach Support Team at NAIP are developing other new materials for use with children being assessed for cochlear implantation and those already implanted. You can help by piloting these materials in your area. For further information contact nuhnt.naip@nhs.net

 

Further Training

Staff at the Nottingham Cochlear Implant Team can provide further training on both this material and a range of other topics.

For local professionals who have patients registered on our programme, some training is provided free of charge (see our Professional Development Groups). Other training  can be arranged with a fee to cover costs.

If you wish to know more about our training programme, please contact us at nuhnt.naip@nhs.net or talk to the members of the Outreach Support Team who visit your area.

 

Radio system policy

This NAIP policy was written as guidance for our team and for local professionals thinking about radio systems for deaf children with cochlear implants.

Radio system policy 2017.pdf[pdf] 473KB

It was written with reference to the NDCS 2017 Quality Standards for the use of Personal Radio systems:

http://www.ndcs.org.uk/applications/publications_shop/view.rm?id=11398