Risk assessing me because I have hearing loss.

[Guest MaryEMac]

Hello everyone, it's quite a while since I came on here but I know there are people out there who can help.

 

Question, do I have to inform all parents at the pre-school that I have a hearing loss? this isn't new to me as it happened 10 years ago. I am open about this and haven't hidden it from anyone but having had a meeting to risk assess my hearing loss, they now want me to personally inform all parents about this.

What does everyone think, as I am feeling very demoralised at the moment.?

 

Mary

[Rea]

Our ex manager has gearing loss in one ear. She sometimes excused herself to people when she couldn't hear and would explain why but nobody ever suggested she should officially inform parents. I can't see why you would have to, maybe others will come along who could suggest why.

[finleysmaid]

sorry but i think this is a bit rude....if you were in a wheelchair would they make you tell everyone? <_< I agree that if it comes up in conversation then fine...but otherwise what relevance is this to the risk assessment?

[Fredbear]

Hi MaryEMac, like any condition, or support that made be required by children or adults its important that the people that may have daily contact with you are aware if it impacts on your role.( this is to be sensitive to your need).

So this might include adults realising you may need to look at them face on to enable you to see them as well as partially hear them, it could also be that if they say your name depending on the severity of your hearing loss that you may not respond to them, or if a fire bell rang procedures were in place too.

The bit I'm puzzled by is why they feel you should do this personally, and whether in their opinion this is vital to your employment.

Has there been significant changes that have made them make this decision.

Are you feeling unhappy about this decision or feel its not appropriate, I would ask for another meeting to discuss this.

Hope you get on okay.

[sunnyday]

Oh Mary - I agree with finleysmaid - 'it's a bit rude'

Does your hearing loss have any massive impact on your role - my betting is that like most of us with any sort of 'problem' you will have learned to cope with it/manage it........

Hmmm - not being much help really - just feeling cross on your behalf.......

I will go away and have a good think - but my gut feeling is - nope i wouldn't be 'explaining' myself to parents - just doesn't feel necessary.....

xxx

[Inge]

my two penneth..

 

unless there is any real reason to tell all about a medical condition I would wonder what else they would ask of staff... if they were diabetic, would all parents be told? same for many of the 'hidden' conditions, not noticed visually but there all the time..

 

In what way does it help all to know.. it is surely your decision to tell all, not someone else's.. isn't that breech of confidentiality..

it is one thing being sensitive to a need.. but surely that needs to be on your terms not that of others..

ok bit disjointed there..

 

but I would feel that it is my decision if I need to tell all.. unless it had a major impact on my job or performance.. and then I would not be allowed to do the job in the first place..

[Inge]

maybe I should add.. have had staff with hearing issues.. I left it to the staff member to tell if they felt the need... some knew others did not.. children were aware to sit on the 'better' side etc.. was never an issue..

[Guest MaryEMac]

Hi Fredbear, this has all come about because a parent complained to the chairperson that I had ignored her. She had asked me how her son was getting on as I was walking back into the setting. She was behind me and I of course did not hear her. I was told about this and obviously wanted to put things right so the next day I asked the parent if we could have a chat. When I explained about my hearing she was fine and said that other parents had told her that I had hearing loss. She was actually embarrassed about it all. I told her not to worry and that in future she needs to be in front of me so that I can hear her better, or just give me a nudge.

The chairperson is new to the role and went to the business support team and they said that we need to do a risk assessment on my disability and also inform the parents. As the evening has gone on I have felt more and more upset, I have worked at the setting for 27 years and taken everything that has been thrown at me but I am seriously thinking about handing in my notice.

Mary

[Guest MaryEMac]

The children know that my ears do not work very well and that they have to speak up. The staff know that it's no good shouting to me from one end of the play area to the other, ( they still do it though). I cope quite well I think and manage at meetings and when training I try and sit so that I can see everyone's faces. I'm feeling very hard done by at the moment. Thanks everyone for your comments,. will sit on it over the weekend and see what happens Monday.

Mary

[SueJ]

I have a member of staff with hearing loss and do not believe that this is something that needs to be universally shared with parents. You have dealt with the parent who felt that they were being ignored and therefore the incident should be considered dealt with.

 

I think your chair is treading of v. thin ice in terms of disability discrimination.

[Fredbear]

Hi MaryEMac, I am not surprised you are feeling hurt by the words and actions of others.

I would ask for another discussion with The Chairperson, as I would hope these poorly made comments as suggested were made with the best of intentions to support you, but has had the complete opposite effect.

The Disability employment act clearly states the responsibilities of the Employer.

After 27 years service I'm really upset and disappointed you have been treated this way.

Please please don't hand your notice in, I think this has been dealt with really badly.

Virtual hugs Fx

[Susan]

Disability discrimination occurred to me too. I dont think it is necessary that you tell all parents.

Are you in a union that you could ask for advice on this though?

[Guest]

This is not right - I would seek union advice as Susan advises. Sorry this has made you feel sad :-(

[Stargrower]

I don't really have anything to add, except I agree with what everyone as said. It sounds like this has been handled really insensitively and I'm not surprised you are upset. We would never treat and child or parent this way, so why should you be?

Big hug. x

[Upsy Daisy]

It sounds like the new chair hasn't really thought this through and this is a knee-jerk reaction to a parent complaint.

I would ask them to outline exactly what this would achieve. What would it prevent?

The parent complained because she thought you were rude. You've explained and she now knows you weren't. The problem was very easily solved and you, I am sure, are happy to deal with any similar situations in a similar manner in the future.

Whatever situation we are in, we need to accept that we will come across people with challenges of one sort or another. Those people are not required to walk around with a sign on their heads so everyone knows. We just need to be reasonable and tolerant as a society and that includes parents in Early Years settings.

Would the chair expect children and parents to share details of any disability they had with everyone publicly or is it just staff?

In my personal opinion, the chair's role with regard to your hearing impairment is to ensure that you are not put at an unreasonable disadvantage in the workplace. That means ensuring that training and staff meetings are always made accessible to you in a format where you can hear and understand everything that is said and to make any other adjustments that you feel are reasonable for a small setting to make in order to minimise the effect of your hearing loss on you at work.

Unless they can show that there is a serious health and safety concern, the sole solution to which is that parents are all informed about your hearing loss, he/she has no right to expect this whatsoever (and even then I think he/she'd be on dodgy ground). I can't think of anything that fits that criteria.

I'd inform him/her that you will be carrying on as normal, informing people whom you consider need to know and dealing appropriately with the rare misunderstandings which may arise. Then I'd suggest that he/she goes away and researches her/his responsibilities towards you under the Equality Act 2010.

[Guest]

I read this with interest as I wear a hearing aid (actually I should wear two but prefer just the one), having been born with hearing loss caused by premature birth. In 20 years of teaching I've never felt the need to share it with anyone I didn't want to. Generally I let people I'm working closely with every day know, so that they don't talk to me from one end of the room etc, and they know they need to be facing me when they speak. I don't spend all day, every day with parents so have never felt the need to inform them of my hearing loss unless there's been a reason to. For example, a few years ago I had a little girl in my nursery class who was diagnosed with hearing loss and had a hearing aid fitted. Her mum's response was 'well she'll never amount to anything academically now that we know she's deaf'. I felt obliged to point out that deafness/wearing a hearing aid is no different from being short sighted/wearing specs and is certainly no barrier to achievement in any field, just look at Evelyn Glennie.

I've had no trouble in my career due to deafness and would feel just as appalled and upset as you do Mary if I were in your shoes. I always tell the children in my classes that my ears don't work as well as they should, so they need to face me when they talk to me. Initially they are just fascinated by the whole hearing aid thing, but it's a two minute wonder and they forget all about it.

Two incidents stand out in my entire lifetime. The first was when, at the age of 13, my head of year wrote on my school report that despite being 'handicapped by deafness' I was doing very well. That really upset me as up until that point I'd never considered myself 'handicapped' in any way at all. The other was when I worked for a bully of a HT. I was applying for an EYC post and she 'advised' me to declare myself disabled to ensure I was shortlisted for interview (there was a mutual desire to part company I have to admit). Needless to say I ignored her 'advice' and went on to get the job anyway.

You have my every sympathy Mary and I hope you get this situation resolved to your satisfaction. Please don't throw away 27 years of service because of one ill informed and misguided individual. Good luck.

[beth1]

Sorry I think that's a bit rude too. I too have to wear hearing aids, although I work in a primary school. The school have been great, at one point during my ear infections and operation they sent me to Occupational Health for support. Some things didn't get done, however all the staff and pupils know to look directly towards me and speak clearly. Even the new teacher that I have this time is great, sometimes I forget all the information (part of my dyslexia) but she reminds me of what I am doing.

 

Not many of the parents know that I have hearing problems although most pick up the fact that sometimes I cant hear in busy places. Like this afternoon when my 1:1 pupil's parent wanted to ask me something and I didn't hear her. She then tapped me on my shoulder to get my attention.

[Guest MaryEMac]

Just thought that I would post an update. I have now told the H&S officer and the Chairperson that I will not be telling all the parents as it is not needed. I will do it if and when the need arises. At last weeks staff meeting I told all the staff that if they need me when we are outside to come up to me or in an emergency they are to blow their whistle. Also that when in the room I will sit facing the room so that I don't have my back to anyone. Also reminded them that this would be good practise for all of them too. One thing that I hadn't thought of was that if we go for a walk I won't be in the lead because I won't hear anything going on behind me. Therefore I will be positioned in the middle. I have told the children about my hearing loss because we had asked if they had their listening ears on and it led to me talking about my ears not working and I showed them the hearing aid. Not one of them has mentioned it since.

The risk assessment will still be written but it will be done on my terms. I am quite easy going and don't like confrontation so I think that I surprised them when I stood up for myself and told them what would be happening. Thanks all of you for your support, you didn't disappoint me.

[sunnyday]

Go Mary! :1b

[Rea]

Well done for taking control of this Glad its worked out

[finleysmaid]

well done :wub:

[Fredbear]

Good for you.

[Susan]

Well done Mary. Glad it has all worked out well.

[Guest]

Great news Mary, glad you got it all sorted to your satisfaction :-) x