Family Programme Portal Welcome to the Family Programme Portal 💙 We are so pleased to have you as a part of the family programme at Auditory Verbal UK and are delighted to be supporting both you and your child through the journey of Auditory Verbal therapy. Here you can find out how we support families on our programme, including events and courses specifically for parents and caregivers, support, and contact options. If you need language assistance, such as translation, please contact [email protected] and we will be happy to help. Supporting your family Parental participation, guidance and coaching are core principles of Auditory Verbal therapy. Our family programme is designed to enable parents and caregivers to become the experts in developing their child's listening and spoken language. of their child’s listening and spoken language development. Some families find that Auditory Verbal therapy is a journey which may raise questions along the way and can find it helpful to have access to support – and we’re here to help! Family Support Manager – Amy Spicer Amy is our dedicated Family Support Manager who can provide holistic support and advice, on a one-to-one basis. This can be on accessing financial support or relevant courses, as well as enabling you to meet other families on the programme or those with older children who can share their experiences. Amy is your first point of contact when you begin your Auditory Verbal therapy programme with us and will be supporting you throughout your time with us. Amy’s working days are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 8:30 – 4:30 pm. Email: [email protected] Pathway of Support At Auditory Verbal UK, our priority for all parents, caregivers and children is ensuring there is consistent, well-informed support when enrolling in our Auditory Verbal therapy family programme. This Pathway of Support shows what you can expect from your journey with us on the programme. Meet some of our Family Programme graduates Nasir's Story Nasir and his family joined our family programme when he was four years old. In their first session, they learnt about how Nasir’s hearing aids were amplifying sound for him, and that support was needed for him to learn to make sense of that sound and for him to develop spoken language. He is now 17 and studying Business Studies at college and loves playing video games. The family say Auditory Verbal therapy was crucial for his development and has given Nasir the ability to express himself among his family and peers. Noli’s story Noli was diagnosed as deaf just before she turned 2, and joined our programme of Auditory Verbal therapy before she received her cochlear implants. The structured approach at AVUK meant the family had a clear path for Noli and were able to practice what they learnt in between sessions. When she was 2 and a half, her language skills were equivalent to a three-year-old. Noli attended mainstream school and excelled in her music, and now attends Durham University. Read more stories. What We Offer Events Family Links Nurturing Programme We have teamed up with emotional health charity, Family Links, to offer a 10-week free online course that explores how we can get the best out of family life and emphasises the importance of parental wellbeing. We run this course two-three times a year, and we will let you know when the next course will start via our private Family Facebook group or through our events page. Our next Family Links Programme is due to start on January 8th 2024 (with both daytime and evening options) Sign up here. Confident Kids programme Confident Kids is a unique parent and child programme which occurs once a year, and is designed to support early social skills in children with hearing loss aged 1 and 2 years. The group aims to help you recognise and use social opportunities between a parent and their child in everyday interactions, so that you can support your child to become independent, resilient children and adults. The group is child-led and play-based. Our Family Support Manager will be in touch with you to arrange the session. Ongoing Support Parent Only Sessions One of your sessions each year will be a parent-only session where you, your Auditory Verbal therapist, and our Family Support Manager, can reflect on your child’s progress and strengths, consider goals for the coming months, and discuss anything else you wish to raise concerning your child and your involvement with our programme. Our Family Support Manager will be in touch with you to arrange the session. Peer to Peer support and parent buddies We have a parent-led family support group and AVUK Family Ambassadors who can give a personal insight into our family programme and Auditory Verbal therapy and support along the journey. Please get in touch with our Family Support Manager if you would like to learn more. Family Facebook & WhatsApp groups Access to a private online parent group, where parents share experiences, ask for advice and celebrate achievements together. If you would like to join the WhatsApp group, please get in touch with our Family Support Manager. Parents and Caregivers Evening Hosted twice a year by a family on our programme, this event in London is exclusive to parents and caregivers on our family programme and provides an opportunity for parents and caregivers to meet for support. Our Family Support Manager will be in touch with you with further details ahead of the next event. Laptop rental If you require additional technology or data to access Auditory Verbal therapy online via tele practice, and cannot purchase the necessary equipment, please contact our Family Support Manager to find out more. Listen & Talk as One assessments Auditory Verbal Therapists work with paediatric audiology specialists, Chear, to offer joint appointments where recommended. For more information, please email [email protected] or call 01869 325 000 AVUK Newsletter We encourage all families to sign up to our regular newsletter. This provides families and supporters with the latest information on services, events and opportunities. You can sign up here.   Activities Ideas page We have built a great resource hub for you and your child. It includes language tips for helping you to make the most of the language involved in play. They can be used by parents, carers other family members at home. Graduation & post-programme support AVUK continue to support families and children once they finish their programme through a range of events for all ages. This includes adhoc appointments and opportunities to attend family events, conferences and to take part in sharing your experiences with other families and children. Have questions or want more information about support and events? Call Rachel or Khrystal on 01869 325 000 or email [email protected] Alternatively, you can speak to your Auditory Verbal therapist Manage Cookie Preferences