Support for children with additional special educational needs

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.   

Working with parents and carers

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          

Working with education settings

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

More information

For more information, please visit the Service for children with a Vision Impairment webpage.

Last updated: 13 July 2023 11:18:55

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