Doncaster Council

Service for Children with a Visual Impairment (SCVI)

Many children who have a visual impairment also have additional (sometimes complex) needs. Support is provided by the SCVI for these children in pre-school, mainstream and special school settings in collaboration with professionals from other disciplines. Early intervention is seen as a priority.  

We offer parents and carers:

• Information about the nature of their child's visual impairment and the impact this can have on their general development
• On-going assessment of the child’s functional vision
• Advice on ways of stimulating vision and the other senses
• The loan of appropriate toys and equipment
• Information about support groups, National organisations  and local contacts
• Help and continued support as their child enters school          

In the school setting the SCVI seeks to work closely with staff to provide:

• Information about the implications of visual impairment and additional needs
• Advice on the use of visual stimulation and other methods of developing visual skills
• Observation and assessment of the child’s functional vision
• Suggestions on ways of helping the child to develop compensatory strategies (for example, tactile or listening skills)
• An Individual Access Plan that sets out ways in which the effects of a child’s visual impairment can be minimised and/or:
• A contribution to a ‘Personal Communication Passport’, highlighting  ways in which the effects of the child’s visual impairment can be minimised
• Input to the child’s (or young person’s) Individual Education Plan, together with advice on curriculum planning and teaching strategies
• Training opportunities (both formal and informal)
• Attendance at Annual Statutory Review meetings, and submission of a report