The Robarts School for the Deaf provides services by professionals for a variety of needs. Examples are clinical psychologist, social worker, speech and language pathologist, student health services and ASL interpreters.
Clinical Psychologist
The Clinical Psychologist is responsible for psychological assessments, including identification of learning disabilities, diagnoses of psychological disorders, and recommendations for both. The psychologist acts as a resource in a leadership role to the Robarts Mental Health Team and as a consultant to the school, residential staff, and parents. The psychologist provides individual counselling to the students with the most serious identified needs.
Social Worker
The school social worker is available to provide support to parents and counselling to students in the home visiting, day, or lodging programs. As part of the Mental Health Team, the social worker works in collaboration with teachers, student support counsellors, the school psychologist, and health services staff. Parents and students may also ask for help to complete government forms and access community programs.
Consultation to families receiving services in community schools, committees and agencies may also be accessed.
Speech Language Pathology Services
Speech language pathology services include assessment of Spoken English skills and language development of children enrolled at Robarts School as well as in the Preschool Home Visiting Program. Speech-language assessments of school-aged Deaf or Hard of Hearing children in the community is also provided upon referral. If it has been determined that a student would benefit from speech training, then the speech-language pathologist can provide assessment and therapy recommendations to the Spoken English teacher, who will provide individual or small group activities to enhance listening, speechreading, and speech production skills for enrolled students.
Student Health Services
Registered nurses provide quality health care to students attending Robarts School. The nursing staff is skilled in assessing health status, providing nursing treatment, and administering medication. They work under the direction of the school’s consulting physician and in collaboration with General Practitioners of the students’ families.
American Sign Language Interpreting
ASL interpreters are available for Deaf and hearing staff or administrators during on-campus meetings with parents, other professionals, or the general public. ASL interpreters are also available for students who are enrolled in courses offered by John Paul II Secondary School.