Barnsley Education Inclusion Services
Children we work with
Our aim is to support children and young people with an identified visual need in order to remove barriers to learning.
We support families and staff working in educational settings to ensure that children and young people have the same learning experience as their peers.
Meet the team
Our vision support team are all highly trained professionals with a wealth of knowledge and experiences working with a wide range of children and young people with visual needs.
Our vision support team are:
- specialist advisory teachers:
- Emma Brooke
- Louise O'Rourke
- Karen Clayton
- habilitation officer:
- Holly Wallace
- specialist support worker:
- Lesley Dodson (habilitation)
- Sharon Cooper
Our offer
Following a new referral to the Vision Support Team, our offer might include:
- A joint assessment completed by a specialist teacher for vision support and a Habilitation officer to identify needs. We use natSIP criteria to inform our ongoing support.
- An environmental audit of educational settings and home environments to take account of visual needs, as required and determined by the service. Risk management strategies will be provided to the educational setting.
- Advice and guidance on specialist equipment and any modifications to learning such as font size, learning medium and exam access arrangements.
- Close working relationships and co-production with a wide range of professionals who may be involved with the child.
- Training in order to support staff to meet the needs of the child or young person.
- Specialist teaching in the delivery of the additional curriculum which may include: Habilitation (mobility and independent living skills), Braille, Low Vison Aids and touch-typing.
- Helping to build confidence, self-esteem and self-advocacy skills; this may be carried out as part of a small group.
- Personalised, holistic planning to meet needs of the child or young person co-produced with the child, young person, families and professionals.
- Maintenance of mobility aids such as long cane.
Our packages
Our vision support packages for involvement are delivered as a core service.
| Package | Equivalent days of support over an academic year |
| TSENSE1 | 14 |
| TSENSE2 | 7 |
| TSENSE3 | 3.5 |
| TSENSE4 | 2.5 |
| TSENSE5 | 1 |
| TSENSE6 | 0.5 |
Packages for habilitation involvement
Our vision support packages with habilitation involvement are delivered as a core service.
| Package | Equivalent days of support over an academic year |
| HABSENSE1 | 14 |
| HABSENSE2 | 7 |
| HABSENSE3 | 5 |
| HABSENSE4 | 3 |
| HABSENSE5 | 1 |
| HABSENSE6 | 0.5 |
Referrals
Children and young people (0 to 25 years old) are usually referred to the service by a health professional such as an ophthalmologist, optometrist or orthoptist, who may already be involved.
Referrals can be made by educational settings, ensuring any medical information about the child’s or young person's eye condition and level of vision is provided, by completing our sensory support consent form and emailing it to us at educationinclusionservices@barnsley.gov.uk.
After receiving the consent form, we'll carry out an initial visit at the educational setting or family home to discuss the child's needs and possible service offer.