Gerald Reed (B.Ed. B.Phil.(Ed) Dip SEN)
The document below gives the structure for the Service for Children with a Visual Impairment Team.
The Service for Children with a Visual Impairment strives to enable pupils with a visual impairment to achieve their true potential by providing the highest quality support in partnership with pupils, parents and schools.
The Service for Children with a Visual Impairment will help promote a culture where pupils with a visual impairment are included in all aspects of school life and are given equal educational opportunities to realise their highest potential.
The Service for Children with a Visual Impairment has developed over a number of years into a service that is capable of providing a broad range of support to children and young people with a visual impairment. The service caters for all abilities ranging from children with complex and severe learning difficulties/medical needs to the most academically able students.
The service offers support at the point of confirmed diagnosis that may occur anywhere between birth and 19 years.
The wide range of support and provision made available to students with a visual impairment has led to a reduction in the number of pupils placed outside the authorities schools.
It is essential to seek expert advice for any child thought to be suffering from a visual impairment. A specialist teacher for the visually impaired can help confirm and assess the child’s vision and provide the support and advice necessary to minimise the effect of the impairment. It is important that any that any relevant information must be made available to class teachers and should follow the child when changes of school or class are made.
The Service for Children with a Visual Impairment operates an ‘open referral’ system whereby any agency can request advice or support. Staff can be contacted at the Service for Children with a Visual Impairment team base from 8.00am till 4.30pm, Monday to Friday during school term time.
When an expression of concern arises regarding visual difficulties, schools, parents or other involved parties are invited to telephone the service on 01302 734838.
A Service for Children with a Visual Impairment referral form in a PDF format can be found below. This can be printed out and completed by the referring agency. It should be sent in the post to the Service for Children with a Visual Impairment at the address listed above. Due to issues relating to confidentiality, we ask that referral forms should not be sent via e-mail.
Schools making referrals should first obtain parental permission before requesting assistance from the Service for Children with a Visual Impairment.
Initial details will be requested regarding the pupil and the nature of the problems being experienced. The Service for Children with a Visual Impairment will normally offer an initial assessment at a mutually agreed date and time. This can take place in school, at home or in any appropriate venue. Every effort will be made to ensure the pupil is familiar with the venue and comfortable in the surroundings in which the assessment is carried out.
The Service for Children with a Visual Impairment will endeavour to respond to a new referral within 5 working days. In addition to the initial assessment, the Service for Children with a Visual Impairment may liaise with the relevant ophthalmological specialists (having received parental permission) and complete classroom observations in a number of subjects. After appropriate consultation a decision will then be reached regarding any further action required.
2) Support for Pupils and Students
Qualified Teachers of the Visually Impaired staff in the various key stages.
3) Support for Parents
4) Support for Teachers
The success of the Service for Children with a Visual Impairment is judged in a number of ways –
