Community Services Minister Tony Simpson today launched EnginEars – the state’s most ambitious hearing implant program for kids. Helping newborn babies, children, and teenagers with severe hearing loss, the EnginEars program offers a broad range of hearing implant options and a comprehensive suite of services under one roof.
The program is funded by a State Government Social Enterprise Fund grant of $286,000 to the Ear Science Institute Australia. Ear Science Clinic’s Head of Clinical Services, Ms Gemma Upson, explained that the program was not just for children, but for the whole family.
“Learning that your child has hearing loss is stressful and impacts not only on the child but on the entire family,” Ms Upson said.
“We are proud that the EnginEars program provides holistic support for families throughout the process of diagnosis through to treatment and ongoing care.”
Mr Steve Watson, Principal of the School of Special Educational Needs: Sensory explained that the EnginEars program is designed to provide a comprehensive service to look after children’s hearing loss, language, cognitive, social, emotional and physical development.
“EnginEars is a unique partnership between the Ear Science Clinic and the School of Special Educational Needs: Sensory. It will be of great benefit to the hearing impaired community in Western Australia,” Mr Watson said.
EnginEars provides whole-of-life care in a consistent and highly supportive environment that children ‘grow up’ within; once their education is complete, the young adult can access cochlear implant and associated services for the rest of their life.
