Guide: Supporting children with visual and sensory impairment

Introduction

The ROVIC service supports children with visual and sensory impairment. ROVIC stands for Re/Habilitation Officer for Visually Impaired Children.

Our service is part of Devon County Council’s Children’s Services. We are a county-wide team supporting children and young people from birth to 18 years who have; visual, dual sensory (vision and hearing impairment) deafblind and multisensory impairments.

We provide:

• advice
• information
• assessment
• skills training
• awareness training

We are only able to support children who live within the Devon Local Authority boundaries.

We understand the importance of teaching young people skills for life. Therefore, our child-centred practice also includes skills training for families, parents, carers and professionals.

We are qualified practitioners who undertake assessments and teach habilitation (learning new skills) and rehabilitation (re-establishing skills) to young people and their support networks to promote confidence and independence.

Our assessments and training programmes can occur in a variety of places, including; at home, public and educational settings.

This enables children and young people to learn and develop both life skills and independence skills at home, school and in the community.

We work alongside other teams from health, education and social care.