What is Multi-Sensory Impairment (MSI)?
Multi-sensory impairment is where a child or young person has a combined vision and hearing impairment, that creates difficulty in accessing the curriculum and engaging in daily life experiences. It is also referred to as Deafblindness or a Dual-Sensory loss.
Any type or degree of combined sight and hearing impairment can create this.
Impairments may range from mild to profound.
The following video explains what is multi sensory impairment.
Our team uses a positive approach, focusing on what a child or young person can do. We offer advice and guidance, appropriate for the child or young person’s age and needs (in line with the SEND code of practice) and Devon’s Ordinarily, Available and Inclusive Provision (OAIP).
Ordinarily Available Inclusive Provision (OAIP)
Ordinarily Available Inclusive Provision (OAIP) describes the inclusive provision and practice that all Devon schools, early years, and post 16 settings should be able to provide for all children and young people, including those with SEND, from within their own resources. This will support all children and young people to attend, engage and thrive in their educational setting.
It describes approaches, provision and practice that is ‘helpful to all, harmful to none and crucial for some’.
The following link will provide more information about Devon’s Ordinarily Available Inclusive Provision (OAIP) frameworks.
Ordinarily Available Inclusive Provision – Support for schools and settings (devon.gov.uk)
How we support parents, carers and young people
Our team supports multi-sensory impaired children and young people in early years settings, schools and in further education settings. Watch the following video to show examples of how we provide support:
Team Core Offer:
Our team offers advice and guidance, appropriate for your child or young person’s age and needs (in line with the Code of Practice).
We:
- Collaborate with families and schools to understand the diagnosis of multi-sensory impairment and use their experience to develop effective outcomes for children and young people.
- Carry out educational multi-sensory impairment assessments to help develop a plan that supports access to education
- Co-produce advice and strategies with schools and settings to support curriculum access that promotes independent learning
- Liaise and work with other professionals involved with your child or young person including teachers of the deaf, qualified teacher of the visually impaired, speech and language specialists and multi-sensory workers
For pre-school children we:
- Provide support to young children and their parents or carers and preschool staff as they start education
- Offer support on how to create a learning environment, in the home or setting, that meets the unique needs of the child
- Co-produce advice about learning and play techniques that support your child to develop
- Support and advise on the development of appropriate communication strategies in partnership with families and carers, speech and language specialists, teachers of the deaf.
For schools and colleges we:
- Offer advice to settings on strategies for appropriate curriculum access which helps develop independent learning
- Collaborate with teachers and support staff to plan how to adapt teaching strategies and learning materials
- Advise on access arrangements for tests and exams
- Provide training, that has been co produced with the child or young person, to ensure that all school staff are able to deliver high-quality, inclusive teaching that supports a child or young person’s individual needs.
- Model good practice to support schools, colleges and educational establishments to develop implementation of inclusive strategies.
Transition
We offer training, a transition passport and that any specialist equipment that is used is in place in the new setting before your child or young person starts.
Accessing support
Schools wishing to access SEND support should complete the Request for Access form.
Training
Additional training courses are available through Devon Education Services. Use the following link to view:
Contact us
Telephone: 01392 287239.
Email lian.badcock@devon.gov.uk or claire.l.hayter@devon.gov.uk