including sensory and non-verbal communication
When working with children with disabilities practitioners must ensure they are being ‘good communicators’ and be prepared to use different tools from those they might use with non-disabled children. it is important such tools are jargon free, use accessible language and follow the lead of the young person we are communicating with. Practitioners can use such guides in this section alongside other methods of communication such as a child’s behaviour and non-verbal communication to capture a child’s world and the messages they may wish to convey.
What’s in this section:
Emotions and feelings worksheet
This worksheet uses faces/expressions of different emotions to enable children to communicate how they are feeling and/or to encourage children to understand various faces/expressions that are associated with emotions to enable children to communication their emotions and feelings.
This is useful for incorporating a child’s views into social work practice and when working with young people who are not able to articulate their feelings and emotions verbally.
This worksheet was produced by the Sheffield Children’s Involvement Team.
Deaf children
These resources produced by the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) are useful to ensure when working with children who are deaf or hard of hearing are included within our practice.
Resources for social workers
A range of resources for social workers and other professionals working with deaf children on meeting the social care needs of deaf children and their families and find out about the NDCS’ free social care advisory service.
Advice sheet for local authorities
An advice sheet to local authorities on implementing Working Together 2015 guidance with regard to promoting the wellbeing and safeguarding of deaf children
Children’s Social Care Direct Work Resource Toolkit 