This document is intended to clearly set out the purpose of SDCS grants, the rules for obtaining a grant, and give guidelines on how much should be given for particular requests. This will ensure that our grants are provided fairly and consistently.

We currently have a sub committee for grant applications – to streamline the process and allow for a quicker turn-around of application requests. The sub-committee currently is Helen Le Page, Sindy Midgley and Jennifer Loten. The sub-committee will change every six months.

Who is eligible?

SDCS is able to give grants to Deaf and Hearing-Impaired children and their families for equipment or other forms of assistance. These grants usually cover a percentage of the cost and each individual application is considered on its own merit and is submitted to the committee for consideration.

To be eligible for a grant the following criteria must be met.

• The family must be current SDCS members.
• The child must have a permanent sensorineural hearing loss.
• The grant must be relevant to the child’s needs as a Deaf/Hearing impaired child.
• The grant should be for something that could not reasonably be paid for by Education or Social Services. Parents should be aware that the Deaf Services Team, which is part of SCC Social Services, does provide a number of aids for use in the home. The Health Authority can also supply some equipment.

If your child has a Statement of Special Education Needs, the Education Authority or the school under the Code of Practice should ensure that your child’s educational needs are met at school throughout the school day and therefore SDCS cannot consider grants for aids or ancillary services that should reasonably be included in your child’s Statement or cover things that should be provided by the school or Authority under the Equality Act 2010, such as access to school clubs, trips and buildings.

If your child does not have a Statement, maintained schools have a delegated budget to meet the educational needs of special needs children and can provide aids and ancillary services from that budget. Under the Equality Act 2010 independent schools should do the same.

We therefore ask that each application should be supported by a letter from a relevant professional explaining why the application does not meet the above criteria and what the advantage will be to the child.

If the application is for something outside of school this could be from the child’s teacher of the Deaf, NDCS representative, social worker or relevant professional. If it is at school the application may be supported by a letter from the teacher of the Deaf saying why it doesn’t meet the above criteria.

Grant Process

• SDCS receive grant form & supporting letter
• Sub-committee check above criteria met, then decision made on grant application (accepted/declined)
• Sub-committee agree on monies granted
• Treasurer/assigned committee member responds to parent
• If grant agreed, payment made by treasurer.

Types of grant

These are based on typical grant requests and could be subject to change.

Private tuition -typically Maths/English weekly tuition
A period of up to 6 months tuition (maximum of £500 per child) subject to agreement by the treasurer. If agreed in advance, tutor invoices can be sent direct to the treasurer and SDCS pay tutor directly. Otherwise, it is the parent’s responsibility to pay tutor fees, SDCS then reimburse the parent.

Laptop grant – Up to a maximum of £500 (per child)
This type of grant is only applicable to secondary aged children. Once grant agreed, a copy of the laptop receipt should be sent to the treasurer and then the grant payment will be made to parent.

We will consider a tablet grant request on an individual basis. SDCS will assess each grant request on its own merit and reserve the right to refuse, if the costs involved are not reasonable.

BSL courses
Level 1 – Typical maximum 2/3rds of full course fee
Level 2 – Typical maximum 2/3rds of full course fee

A copy of the course payment should be sent to the treasurer and then the grant payment will be made to parent.

Speech & Language therapy – in partnership with Carol Rowe (Accredited Private Speech & Language therapist, experienced working with deaf children).
A six week block of therapy can be arranged by contacting Helen Le Page (Treasurer) who will send a ‘data capture form’ to the parent in order to obtain the relevant details. This form is then sent onto Carol, who in turn contacts the parent direct to arrange the first visit. Carol invoices SDCS directly.

Play Scheme therapy – Typical maximum 2/3rds of full course fee (capped at £300)
A copy of the course payment should be sent to the treasurer and then the grant payment will be made to parent.

Leads/cables/Alarm clocks etc
Currently SDCS offer to buy its young members direct input leads (and shoes if necessary) and also alarm clocks. This is done as a bulk order with Connevans, SDCS pay directly for all orders.

Refreshment costs for external agencies
We have been asked on a number of occasions to help towards the cost of light refreshments for external agencies (ToD led student/family events, SALT parent’s meeting).

If alternatives have been sought (i.e. local businesses/Starbucks etc) to fund the refreshments without success and the event directly helps a Deaf child/parent, then SDCS has historically helped towards the cost. Going forward, SDCS will assess each grant request on its own merit and reserve the right to refuse if the costs involved or amount of requests are not reasonable.

Material costs for external agencies
SDCS has historically been asked by PSSS to fund materials (stationery) for transitional days (for Deaf secondary school pupils). As above SDCS will assess each grant request on its own merit and reserve the right to refuse if the costs involved or amount of requests is not reasonable.