The RNIB Freedom of Information Report (Feb 24) defines Educational Support for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment in England 2023 as a ‘Provision under Pressure.’
At Thomas Pocklington Trust we are working hard with other sector groups to improve outcomes for children and young people with vision impairment. We work closely with specialists from Vision Support Teams in local authorities, and are aware of the dedication and support they offer to blind and partially sighted children and young people across England.
Specialist teaching and habilitation is essential for a child or young person with vision impairment. This is because it helps them to develop the broad range of skills needed to access the national curriculum, extra-curricular activities and to prepare them to live independently in adulthood.
The Curriculum Framework for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment (CFVI) is a UK wide framework developed by sector partners through extensive research and consultation. It supports children and young people with vision impairment aged 0 to 25 to access an appropriate and equitable education.
The CFVI outlines 11 key areas of learning; including facilitating an inclusive world, independent living skills, mobility, accessing information, sport, social communication and preparing for adulthood. Not only can the CFVI improve the education experiences of blind or partially sighted children and young people, it also provides a shared language and guidance on best practice for everyone who supports them. This includes non-specialist staff, parents/carers and the young people themselves.
The RNIB Freedom of Information Report shows that 100% of local authorities are aware of the CFVI, and the majority of Vision Support Teams in authorities use both the criteria and resources in assessment, planning and reports. However, there is still work to be done to ensure the framework is easily accessed and used by blind and partially sighted children and young people, their parents / carers and mainstream teaching professionals. This is in order to support the work of the specialists.
The CFVI offers a unifying framework of best practice and support for children and young people with vision impairment, their parents / carers and educators. It can help relieve the pressure for specialist services, promote inclusive, accessible education and the opportunity to thrive.
We call on local authorities in England to:
On your local offer for SEND web page, we call on you to:
For more information, please read our England report:
For examples of best practice, please read:
Please see our resources for Local Authorities:
Find out more about the Curriculum Framework for children and young people with a Vision Impairment (CFVI); what it is and what work we are doing in this area.
Find out more about 'Curriculum Framework For Children and Young People With Vision Impairment: Policy and Campaigning'Learn all about our CFVI champions, the work they are doing to raise awareness of the CFVI, what it means to them, and how you can get involved!
Find out more about 'CFVI Champions'Learn more about the curriculum framework for vision impaired children and young people in the UK, and how it can support their education.
Find out more about 'Curriculum Framework for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment'Find out about the work we do to lobby Government and decision makers to help ensure blind and partially sighted students can pursue their educational aspirations.
Find out more about 'Education Policy'
This online community is for blind and partially sighted students, family and friends, education providers and other staff in the sector. It forms a supportive environment where relevant news, advice, questions and pieces of work can be shared to enable students with visual impairments to get the most out of their time at university.
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