Sensory Impairment Teams - Social & Community Services

Our aim:

To provide a high quality service to children who have a visual loss, hearing loss or dual sensory loss.
To provide support to families / carers putting them and their child at the centre of the service provision.
To work holistically and in a multi-diciplinary setting, working in partnership with other agencies working towards best outcome for the child and their family.

What we do:

Visual Impairment Team

The Visual Impairment Team consists of specialist rehabilitation workers who provide habilitation / rehabilitation training to children who have a sight loss which causes practical difficulties in their day to day lives.

Workers complete a specialist assessment, and then devise a programme according to the child's needs, age and ability. This may include:

Any aspect of mobility training, such as early movement, pre-cane skills, use of a white cane, orientation skills.
Daily living, such as dressing or preparing food and drinks.
Participating in group activities both indoors and outdoors such as camping, bowling, baking.

Hearing Impairment Team

The Hearing Impairment Team consists of specialist social workers, and adaptive equipment specialists who provide support to children who are hard of hearing or profoundly deaf.

Workers complete a specialist assessment and from this devise a plan of support which may include

• Supporting at school Reviews
• Enabling and social inclusion
• Provide signing support to aid communication
• Provision of adaptive specialist equipment

The teams work in a variety of settings, including home, school and the community. Our input will be more intensive at different times depending on the need. This is determined through the on-going assessment of the child and discussion with parents and school staff where appropriate.