Building resilient regional and remote Queensland communities.
Our Stories
Empowering Children with Hearing Loss: Two Years of RETAIN
We are pleased to share a summary of the two-year report on the RETAIN program, our social venture partnership with renowned not-for-profit, Hear and Say.
The RETAIN program is an innovative telepractice program that supports school-aged children with hearing loss in regional Queensland. The two-year report showcased remarkable achievements in supporting these children and their families and highlighted key statistics, progress made, challenges addressed, and future opportunities for this essential initiative.
With 66 participants reached in the first two years, exceeding the target of 63 children, the RETAIN program has made significant strides. RETAIN’s individualised Targeted Intervention approach has proved successful in addressing specific issues hindering children with hearing loss from reaching their full potential, with progress measured against each participant’s goals and standardised assessments, providing valuable insights for clinicians, parents, and teachers.
Efforts to serve more children and families have been successful, thanks to the recruitment of experienced staff in Central Queensland, increased clinical staffing across all centres, and the anticipation of regional outreach trips.
Challenges, such as barriers to entry and service levels, are being addressed through collaborations with Children’s Health Queensland (CHQ) and ongoing monitoring. Detailed case studies collected during the initial trial to date underscore the positive impact of the RETAIN program on children’s lives, showcasing successful interventions and progress.
RETAIN continues to transform the lives of children with hearing loss, empowering them to thrive and achieve their full potential. RETAIN graduate, 10-year-old Emily Geltch, recently shared with us the profound impact Hear and Say’s therapy has had on her life by demonstrating that hearing loss doesn’t have to be a barrier to being a powerful communicator in the video below.
QCoal Foundation are proud to support a program that continues to deliver for regional and remote Queensland children and their families. You can learn more about the RETAIN program and our partnership with Hear and Say here.
