Traffic lights all good for childhood centres

Early childhood centres are becoming quieter places for children and teachers as the National Foundation for the Deaf rolls out its Safe Sound Indicator campaign.

The Foundation has mounted a national appeal to provide an SSI – which shows noise levels in the form of traffic lights – to every early childhood centre in New Zealand, and Chief Executive Louise Carroll said today the project was off to a flying start.

“We’re asking people and organisations to support an early childhood centre in their own towns and neighbourhoods,” she said.

“We’ve received donations and grants for well over 600 so far and the support is growing.
“We’ve had inquiries from service organisations, such as Lions, as well as from Hearing Associations, parents’ groups, and individuals.”

Mrs Carroll said the NFD wanted to educate children, their teachers and parents about hearing loss caused by excessive noise, and the SSI was an ideal way of doing that. It shows noise levels in traffic lights with red, which is triggered by noise at 90 decibels, being a time for children to cut back on the noise.

“We hope the lessons the youngsters learn will stay with them for the rest of their lives,” she said.
The SSI was developed by the NFD over several years from a concept by 10-year-old Jamie Fenton. Jamie, now 17, was recently named 2011 Young New Zealander of the Year.

“The SSI is a valuable aid and teachers at centres that have them are already finding the children are self-regulating their noise levels,” Mrs Carroll said.

The Safe Sound Indicator retails at $290.50, and Mrs Carroll said people who couldn’t afford to donate the full price were joining others in sharing the cost.

“This is an investment in the future and it’s all go,” she said.