Advisory Teaching Service - Visually Impaired Team
- Local Offer
The Team for Visually Impaired is part of the Advisory Teaching Service which is a countywide Special Education Needs teaching and disabilities (SEND) advisory support service. Support is available for children and young people with a diagnosed visual impairment at all stages of the Gloucestershire Pathway. The team consists of Qualified Teachers of Visual Impairment, Mobility and Independence Officer, Touch Typing Tutor and Resource Technician.
What we do:
- We provide support for children and young people from the confirmation of a visual impairment until they leave school or further education college (0-25yrs).
- We work closely with families of babies and pre-school children, helping them to understand the diagnosis, and then offering advice and support with visual skills, mobility and independence skills
- Support, advise and empower children and young people (CYP), to understand their visual impairment, communication skills to include Braille, Moon, specialist ICT skills, social skills, mobility and independence skills, listening skills and visual skills.
- We work closely with families, early years and school staff, mobility and independence specialist, touch typing tutor, VI technician and medical professionals enabling us to offer tailored and targeted support and advice aimed at helping children and young people achieve their full potential
- Provide monthly early years (0-5yrs) support group for parents/carers of children with visual impairment and their children
- Provide developmental and educational advice in relation to the CYP's visual impairment
- Support CYP with visual impairment, their families and settings, at all levels of the Gloucestershire's SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Graduated Pathway
- Ensure the views, wishes, perspectives and experiences of the CYP are fully considered in their provision
- Support CYP to develop a positive understanding of their visual impairment and identity
- Provide, monitor and evaluate use of equipment: including equipment such as magnifiers, specialist ICT hardware and software, Braille and Moon and enlarged print materials
- We offer and provide a range of training around a CYP's needs to whole school and area based specialist courses to support continuing professional development in relation to visual impairment
Who to contact
- Contact Name
- Stuart Gent
- Contact Position
- Advisory Teacher of the Visually Impaired
- Telephone
- 01452 324376 - Cheltenham ATS 01452 324376 - Cheltenham ATS 01452 426014 - Forest ATS 01452 426014 - Forest ATS 01452 426955 - Gloucester ATS 01452 426955 - Gloucester ATS 01452 583728 - Stroud ATS 01452 583728 - Stroud ATS
- gloucester.ats@gloucestershire.gov.uk
Where to go
- Name
- Advisory Teaching Service
- Postcode
-
GL14 2DBGet directions to GL14 2DB
Availability
- Age Ranges
- Referral required
- Referral Details
Who can refer and how:
- Health services at the time of diagnosis, signed referral form
- Schools, through the Advisory Teaching Service Referral form
If you have concerns regarding your child's vision your first port of call should be the GP. If necessary your GP will refer you child to specialist opthalmology services within your area who will refer to our team as appropriate. As a parent/carer you will be asked for consent for health services to contact the Advisory Teacher for Visual Impairment. The teacher offering support in your area will then contact you directly.
Local Offer
- Description
We work with CYP who have:
- A diagnosed visual impairment
- A Visual impairment which can not be corrected to better than 6/18
- CYP who have a diagnosed visual impairment with additional physical, medical and educational needs
How and When we do it:
- We work in homes, early years settings, respite settings, schools and other educational settings. This support is available during term time
- The level of support offered to each child and young person and family is based on the CYP's needs in relation to their visual impairment, their stage of development and the knowledge and support that they have around them. Each referral is considered by the service in line with the NATSIP Eligibility Criteria.
- Local Offer Age Bands
-
0-4 (Birth to Pre-School)
4-11 (Primary School)
11-16 (Secondary School)
16-18 (Transitions into Adulthood)
18-25 (Young Adults) - SEN Provision Type
- Targeted
SEND Local Offer Form
- Who is your service for?
- Targeted
- Local Offer Age Bands
-
0-4 (Birth to Pre-School)
4-11 (Primary School)
11-16 (Secondary School)
16-18 (Transitions into Adulthood)
18-25 (Young Adults) - How accessible is your service?
-
NA
- Is the building fully wheelchair accessible?
- No
- Is there disabled changing and toilet facilities?
- No
- Describe any training or experience you/your staff, have had or are having in issues around SEND?
-
Specialist teachers in SEND
- Experience of working with children and young people with the following disabilities/additional needs.
- Alternative Communication
- Autistic Spectrum Disorders
- Complex Medical/Physical Needs
- Challenging Behaviours
- Please add any further information you feel may be of use for the SEND local offer.
-
ATS accept referrals from schools (with the relevant supporting documentation) or directly from Health, along with signed parental consent. Please note that we cannot accept electronic signatures.
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