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.
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.
Specialist:
Team Core Offer:
Our team offers advice and guidance, appropriate for your child’s age and needs (in line with the Code of Practice). For example, we can:
- help families and schools understand the diagnosis and implications of multi-sensory impairment
- carry out educational multi-sensory impairment assessments to support access to education
- advise schools and settings on strategies for curriculum access that promote independent learning
- liaise and work with other professionals involved with your child including teachers of the deaf, qualified teacher of the vision impaired, speech and language specialists and multi-sensory workers
For pre-school children we can:
- provide direct support to young children and their parents or carers and preschool staff as the transition into education starts
- offer support on how to create a learning environment that meets the unique needs of the child
- provide ideas on which learning and play techniques allow your child to develop
- support and advise on the development of appropriate communication strategies in liaison with speech and language specialists and teachers of the deaf
For schools and colleges we can:
- offer advice in mainstream and special school settings on strategies for appropriate curriculum access which helps develop independent learning
- offer advice to teachers and support staff on how to adapt teaching strategies and learning materials
- advise on access arrangements for tests and exams
- provide appropriate training for staff to raise awareness of multi-sensory impairment
- model good practice to school staff
Transition
We offer awareness-raising training, transfer of information and ensure that specialist equipment is in place in the new setting before your child starts.
Accessing support
Schools wishing to access SEND support should complete the Request for Access form.
Request for Access
Training
Devon Education Services offers training courses for parents, teachers, teaching assistants and other professionals.
Contact us
Call the Multi-Sensory Impairment Team on 01392 287239.
Email lian.badcock@devon.gov.uk or claire.l.hayter@devon.gov.uk
We look forward to hearing from you!
Resources
- Deafblind manual from Sense
- Making play inclusive – a toolkit for settings from Sense
- How to play with your disabled child (a Sense guide for parents)