Sensory Impairment Service (under review)

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The Sensory Impairment Service supports children from 0-19 yrs who have a visual or hearing impairment, or a combined hearing and vision loss (MSI). The team consists of Advisory Teachers who hold either the mandatory qualification for teaching visually impaired or hearing impaired children, a children's mobility officer, a linkworker for deaf children and families, a specialist teaching assistant, and a technician. The team is managed by the Lead Professional for Sensory Impairment. Our aim is:

• to support Wiltshire Council's SEN policy of inclusion in local mainstream schools
• to promote independence for learning and for life
• to secure equality of access to learning materials, the learning environment and all school activities
• to ensure maximum access to the National Curriculum for all sensory impaired pupils
• to ensure quality and consistency of provision for all sensory impaired pupils across the county

Criteria for referring a child

To be accepted for support from the service the children or young person must have a diagnosed hearing or visual loss. Most of our referrals come directly from the medical professionals who have seen the child or young person at a hearing or vision clinic. They also come from the Newborn Hearing screening programme when the baby is a few days old. On the rare occasion where a school suspects the child may have a hearing or vision loss, and they are not already known to our service, the school should ask the parents to take the child to an optician or the GP in the case of vision, or to the GP in the case of hearing.

The medical professionals are aware of our referral criteria and make appropriate referrals. Further details can be found in the Service Booklet for Visual Impairment which has a link on the page below. The booklet is currently being updated.

If you have any queries please contact the sensory impairment service on 01722 438157.

What do we offer?

We work with families, schools and pre-school settings to assist them to develop the potential of children and young people with a sensory impairment. This includes:

• Advice and support for families, pre-school staff, class teachers, Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCOs)
• Individual support for the sensory impaired child or young person
• Training for teaching assistants (TAs) working with sensory impaired pupils, and offering training for SENCOs and school staff
• Provision of specialist loan equipment such as soundfield systems, portable electronic magnifiers, radio aids etc.
• Advice for Individual Education Plans (IEPs), the Statutory Assessment of Special Educational Needs process, and monitoring pupils' progress
• Writing reports and/or attending annual reviews for sensory impaired pupils with statements of SEN
• Close liaison with the audiology and eye clinics and the medical professionals involved with the care of the child or young person

How is the service accessed?

If the child is under school age the Health Visitor may be the best person to discuss concerns about hearing or vision with. If parents think that their child is having difficulty with their vision, they should make an appointment with an optician or the GP in the first instance. If hearing difficulties are suspected parents should contact their GP. Parents can ask the medical professionals at the clinics to refer to the Sensory Impairment Service. Usually the medical professional will ask the parent for permission to refer to us if the referral criteria are met.

If a school or pre-school setting thinks that a pupil is having difficulty with their vision or hearing and the service is not already involved, they should ask parents to follow the advice above. Alternatively, the school can make a single agency referral using the SARF form, but the service will not become involved until a medical diagnosis is confirmed. For advice please phone or email the service.

Related documents

• Wiltshire Visual Impairment Service - Information Booklet, Descriptors & Support Tariffs (under revision)

Related links

• SENSS (Parent Partnership Service)
• Children & Young People’s Services

These are external/partnership sites which you may find useful. Wiltshire Council is not responsible for their content.

Last updated: 21 February 2012