Vision Support Team
Welcome
The Vision Support Team (VST) support the needs of pupils living in Hull, with an identified vision impairment from birth to 25 years. The team support access to education in homes, nurseries, primaries, secondaries, colleges and special schools across the city.
The team comprises of:
Qualified Teachers of Children and Young People with a Vision Impairment (QTVI) – trained teachers who hold an additional mandatory qualification which enables them to be involved in providing specialist teaching and support to pupils with vision impairment.
Lead Vision Specialists (LVS) – qualified specialists who are trained to teach and support children with vision impairments.
Qualified Vision Support Staff (QVSS) – qualified specialist staff with extensive knowledge and experience in supporting pupils with low vision and pupils accessing their learning through Braille.
VST work with children, their families and educational settings to provide specialist interventions, teaching and support to minimise the impact of a child’s vision impairment on their development and progress in education. The support provided by the VST at IPaSS aims to adapt to the young person’s changing needs.
What do VST do?
The VST team support access to education for children and young people with significant vision impairments. They work collaboratively with Hospital staff, SENCos, teachers, support staff, parents and agencies to minimise the impact of a young person’s vision impairment on their access to learning, social interaction and independence.
This work may include:
Assessment of a pupil’s functioning vision and monitoring of vision skills and development overtime.
Delivery of specialist programmes and skills to learn braille, access low vision aids and assistive technologies in line with the Curriculum Framework for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment.
Developing pupils skills to independently access curriculum learning, improve social interaction, and communication skills.
Advice to families and settings on strategies to support vision development skills.
Delivering training to settings to raise awareness and understanding of vision impairment and support strategies.
Multi-agency working to support the holistic development of a child.
Provision of statutory reports and documentation. Also, support through the Education, Health and Care Plan assessment process and review meetings, should a child require one.
Signposting families to other agencies who can support the child and family.
Advice and support with transitions to different settings through the ages and stages of development.
Developing pupils own understanding of their vision, ongoing needs and self-advocacy skills.
Advice and support with exam access arrangements, ordering and arranging modified and adapted exam papers.
Support for work experience opportunities – scaffolding additional support pupils may need to request from their placement to maximise the benefits of the experience.
Promoting independence and preparing young people for adulthood.
Vision Support Team Referral
Which children and young people can be referred to VST?
The Vision Support Team takes referrals for Children and Young People living in Hull and attending Hull education settings from aged 0-25 who either:
have a vision impairment diagnosed by an Ophthalmologist which cannot be corrected through the wearing of glasses or contact lenses
display visual difficulties with accessing their learning and are under assessment by an Ophthalmologist and awaiting a diagnosis
Who can make a referral for VST support?
Referrals can be made by Ophthalmologists and Orthoptists, other medical professionals, schools, pre-school settings, colleges, other professionals and families.
