Meeting Preparation
Preparing for Individual Curriculum Plan (ICP) meetings and gathering relevant resources and information.
Consultancy
Practical support for language, literacy and access.
Julie works alongside families, educators and organisations to support language, literacy and access for Deaf, hard of hearing and Deafblind children and young people.
Approach
Collaborative, practical and tailored
Consultancy services are practical, collaborative and tailored to the individual needs of each child and family.
Focus
Supporting shared understanding
Every child learns differently. Julie’s role is to help identify approaches that are meaningful, accessible and achievable for the child and the people who support them.
Educational Advocacy and Support
Helping families and educational teams work together.
Navigating educational systems can be challenging for families. Julie provides support to help parents understand their options, prepare for meetings and advocate effectively for their children.
Family Support
Supporting parents during meetings with schools and education departments.
School Collaboration
Assisting schools to understand the communication and learning needs of Deaf and hard of hearing students.
Adjustments
Exploring appropriate educational supports and adjustments to help achieve the best possible outcomes for each student.
Social Stories
Personalised stories for communication, understanding and confidence.
One area of particular interest is the development of personalised Social Stories.
Social Stories are a powerful tool for supporting communication, social understanding and emotional development. When children become part of the story themselves, the learning is meaningful, relevant and easier to apply in everyday situations.
Julie works with families to create customised Social Stories using photographs, simple language and visual supports that reflect the child's own experiences.
Example Topics
- My Dog is Getting Old - exploring illness, ageing and the death of a much-loved family pet.
- Friends - understanding that friends can enjoy both similar and different interests.
- Sarcasm - recognising and understanding when people use sarcasm in everyday conversations.
- Some Things Belong in Groups - introducing collective nouns and categorisation through meaningful examples.
- I Went to the Market - exploring personal safety and staying close to a parent or caregiver in a busy environment.
Communication and Language Support
Strategies across home, school and community
Julie assists families and educational teams to develop practical strategies that support communication, language development and participation across home, school and community settings.
Working Together
Supporting language, literacy and access
Whether supporting a family preparing for an important meeting, creating a personalised Social Story or helping a school understand the needs of a Deaf, hard of hearing or Deafblind student, Julie’s focus remains the same: supporting language, literacy and access.
Enquiries
Discuss consultancy support.
Focus Matters can support families, schools and organisations seeking practical, respectful strategies for communication, learning and participation.