Sensory Impairment Service
All schools have a special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) who can support children who are hearing impaired or who have a vision impairment. If a child requires further support, you can make a referral to the Sensory Impairment Service.
We provide specialist teachers and support for children and young people with:
- a hearing impairment
- a vision impairment
- multi-sensory impairments
When new referrals are received, the initial contact from the team will be by phone or email.
Hearing impairment referrals
Information from an Audiologist or ENT specialist must be included in the referral.
Within 5 working days of the referral being allocated (or 48 hours for newly diagnosed children from the Newborn Hearing Screening Programme), a Teacher of the Deaf will contact the family and educational setting to discuss the referral.
A variety of support options are available from the Sensory Impairment Service when a child is referred for support.
Support for educational settings
Educational settings may be supported with:
- advice from an Educational Audiologist
- advice or direct teaching of British Sign Language (BSL) if required
- equipment to facilitate access to learning
- advice about reasonable adjustments to the physical environment in the school for optimum accessibility
- review meetings
- direct teaching support through a Qualified Teacher of the Deaf (QTOD) where required
- advice and support for exam access arrangements
- access arrangements to facilitate independent learning
- initial advice and deaf awareness training
- advice for a range of assistive listening devices
Support for parents and carers
Parents and carers may be supported with:
- advice from a Qualified Teacher of the Deaf (QTOD)
- training for the use of specialist auditory equipment
- training for hearing aid or auditory implant management and maintenance, to facilitate speech, language and communication development
- family groups for early years children
Support for children and young people
The child or young person may be supported directly with:
- direct teaching by a Qualified Teacher of the Deaf
- help to develop their independent audiological management skills
- access to an Educational Audiologist
- tuition from a British Sign Language tutor if required
- social, emotional or well-being needs relating to their hearing impairment
- self-advocacy skills
- preparing for adulthood
- peer group events
Vision impairment referrals
Information from an optician or ophthalmologist must be included in the referral.
A variety of support options are available from the Sensory Impairment Service when a child or young person is referred for support.
Within 5 working days of the referral being allocated, a Qualified Teacher of children with Vision Impairment (QTVI) will contact the family and educational setting to discuss the referral.
Support for educational settings
Schools may be supported with:
- Initial advice and vision awareness training
- equipment to facilitate access to learning
- access arrangements and recommendations to facilitate independent learning
- review meetings
- assessments of functional vision
- direct teaching support and mobility support
- advice for exam access arrangements
- advice and mentoring from Inclusive Technology Technicians for specialist equipment
Support for parents and carers
Parents and carers may be supported with:
- advice or direct support from the Sensory Impairment Service
- training in the use of specialist equipment
- family groups / enrichment opportunities
Support for children and young people
Children and young people may be supported with:
- direct teaching of specific skills
- advice on access to learning through specialist equipment
- social emotional and wellbeing needs relating to their vision impairment
- self-advocacy skills
- preparing for adulthood
- peer group events
- enrichment opportunities
General enquiries
If you have a general query regarding the Sensory Impairment Service, please email [email protected].
Last updated 13 February 2024