SENSS Multi Sensory Impairment Team

The Multi Sensory Impairment Team is part of SENSS which is a countywide Special Educational Needs (SEN) teaching and advisory support service. Multi Sensory Impairment is also called deafblindness or dual sensory loss. Support is available to children and young people who have a diagnosed hearing impairment and visual impairment.

What’s important to us (our values):

We work in partnership to secure good outcomes and a positive future for children and young people with multi sensory impairment.

Our aim is that children and young people with multi sensory impairment make good progress, achieve well and enjoy school, family and community life.

What we do:

• Provide family-focused support from the confirmation of multi sensory impairment.
• Support, advise and empower staff in schools and settings to understand the needs of children and young people with multi sensory impairment.
• Provide assessment and advice in relation to the child / young person’s multi sensory impairment.
• Ensure that the views, wishes, perspectives and experiences of the children and young people are fully reflected in their provision.
• Support children and young people to develop a positive understanding of their own multi sensory impairment.
• Carry out assessments in relation to specialist equipment.
• Work closely with Teachers of the Deaf and Teachers of the Visually Impaired as well as health professionals: Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Speech and Language Therapists.
• Run a weekly sensory group during term time for pre-school children, focusing on visual, auditory and tactile stimulation through songs and play.

· We base our work on the strongest evidence base recognising that there are other approaches.

Who we offer this service to:

We work with children and young people who have:

·     a sensory difficulty which, together with hearing loss will impact on learning and communication

·   a sensory difficulty which, together with vision loss will impact on learning and communication

How and when we do it:

· We are a service which is available during school term time.

 · We work primarily in schools and educational settings, but also in homes, where necessary.

 · We have a range of professionals in our teams including specialist advisory teachers, communication support workers and intervenors.

 · We work closely with SENCOs, class teachers, teaching assistants and other support staff in schools.

 · We liaise closely with families and we work collaboratively with other agencies involved with the child.

 · We provide advice, support, interventions and some direct teaching.

 · We offer a range of training from individual training around a child’s needs to whole school and area based specialist courses to support continuing professional development

SENSS staff work hard, in partnership with schools and families, to ensure that children with SEND are well supported.  In doing this they are entitled to respect.  SENSS will not tolerate rudeness or any behaviour toward staff that undermines them and we request that staff are treated with respect at all times. Thank you for your support in this.

How to contact us:

SENSS Multi Sensory Impairment Team - 01865 816970

Safeguarding

We respect the need for confidentiality and the responsible and informed sharing of personal information. If there are concerns regarding a child’s safety we would, having, where possible, initially identified our concerns with the parents/ carers, liaise with Social Care in accordance with Oxfordshire’s Safeguarding Children procedures. https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/content/report-child-abuse

Comments, Compliments and Complaints:

If you wish to make a comment , give a compliment or make a complaint about the service, please contact SENSS on 01865 323070 and ask to speak to a senior manager. Or you can email the service at senss@oxfordshire.gov.uk. Alternatively contact: https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/content/comments-compliments-and-complaints-about-oxfordshire-county-council