Our local offer

Our Family Centre is located in Cosham, Portsmouth, Hampshire. We do not have a defined ‘catchment’ area and so families using our services come from Hampshire and many different neighbouring counties.

The Elizabeth Foundation provides services to deaf children from birth to 5 years and their families. The only criterion for enrolling is that the child has a significant degree of deafness that impacts on communication development.

Parents/carers need to contact us to discuss enrolment into any of our services and there no need for a professional referral. Please note that due to high levels of demand, there is often a waiting list for our services.

Our online Let’s Listen and Talk service can be accessed immediately by signing-up using the secure online form on the website.

For the face-to-face services we provide, families usually meet with our Chief Executive and together a decision is made as to whether their child will benefit from the services provided at The Elizabeth Foundation.

Our online Let’s Listen and Talk service can be accessed by signing-up using the secure online form on the website.

We have an open-door policy at The Elizabeth Foundation. Parents are welcome to observe sessions and discussion with Teachers of the Deaf and Speech and Language Therapists is available at each session.

Any decisions made about a child/family are made with the parents and family. Children have termly Individual Education Plans to update progress and needs and these are discussed with parents/carers and shared (with permission) with other professionals involved with the family.

All of the nursery rooms are acoustically-treated and have soundfield systems in place and FM technology. The rooms are carpeted and have cushions and curtains to minimise reverberation and enhance the acoustic environment. OUr Family Centre building is wheelchair accessible and there is a lift available. We have disabled parking and disability-access toilet facilities and changing areas.

The staff at The Elizabeth Foundation comprises of Teachers of the Deaf, Specialist Speech and Language Therapists, Audiologist, Specialist Nursery Assistants, and Parents of Deaf Children.

All staff have disability awareness training. As an organisation, we work very closely with Portsmouth Hospital Trust Audiology services, Speech and Language Therapy teams, as well as many local authority Sensory Impairment Teams and Social Care Teams.

As an organisation we keep up-to-date with the latest information and technology around deafness, early years education, early years development, literacy, numeracy, behaviour, and SEN needs.

For more information about the services we provide, take a look at the Services for families section of this website or contact us.