Navigating the special educational needs (SEN) system alongside clinic appointments and extra curricular activities can be overwhelming. It’s important to know all of the terms so that you can understand who is involved to support your child and who to speak to.
Many parents in the low vision clinic have a good relationship with their school and are able to keep us up to date with any changes. Many parents are unaware of what adaptations are available, if these are actually implemented, and who to contact as a point of reference.
The Qualified Teacher for Visual Impairment is a specialist teacher from the council who will visit and support the child through their education. They visit the child in school to make recommendations for their vision. The frequency of these visits will vary according to child’s visual needs. They can start touch typing and braille lessons if appropriate. They will help with transitions between schools. They are also involved in implementing adaptations and can easily liaise with the school if necessary.
Special educational needs co-ordinator: every school has a SENCo. They are an educational specialist or teacher who is responsible for planning and implementing the child’s adjustments. They work together with teachers & monitor the progress of the child. They will also organise examination access arrangements by gathering evidence for the needs of the child.
Some children are eligible for an EHCP. The SENCo can apply themselves or the parents can get in touch with their local authority directly to complete a needs assessment. An EHCP will specify the child’s exact needs and the progress will be assessed via a yearly review. The funding for these needs will be provided by the local authority.