Our team uses specialist curricula to support effective planning of support for children and young people with visual impairments. The frameworks use parent or carer, pupil voice and input from other professionals to promote a collaborative approach.
The following are used by the team:
The Developmental Journal for babies and young children with visual impairment (DJVI) is an early childhood intervention programme for babies and young children with severe visual impairment. It was developed by clinicians and clinical researchers from the Developmental Vision Programme at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Great Ormond Street Institute for Child Health (main authors Dr Alison Salt and Dr Naomi Dale).
In 2005 it was commissioned by the English central government to be disseminated as the national early intervention framework for children with visual impairment and their families.
The DJVI is a systematic framework tracking developmental and vision progress from birth to three years of age (or equivalent developmental age). It aims to:
- help parents and practitioners track and understand the child’s achievements, progress and development
- support goal setting and guidance to promote vision and general development
- support interdisciplinary and interagency working
- support information sharing between parents and the practitioners they meet
- identify areas of difficulty early where more help would be useful
The DJVI is designed to be used, in partnership with parents, by qualified clinicians and specialist professionals working in services providing support to babies and young children with vision impairment and their parents.
Curriculum Framework for Visual Impairment – CFVI:
The CFVI has been developed to support children and young people with vision impairment access an appropriate and equitable education, alongside existing curricula. The framework presents outcomes within 11 teaching areas.
It provides a vocabulary to be used by children and young people, their families and professionals in the UK who collaborate with them. A shared vocabulary supports both better communication and purpose.
The CFVI is outcomes focused and helps to identify outcomes and provision that will support children and young people with vision impairment.
More information about the framework can be accessed using the following link: Curriculum Framework for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment | RNIB
National Sensory Impairment Partnership (NatSIP)
NatSIP, the National Sensory Impairment Partnership is a partnership of organisations working together to improve outcomes for children and young people with sensory impairment.
The team recommend using:
NatSIP: A place to start – Working with a child or young person. This helps improve the confidence and basic skills of mainstream or special school staff who are working with children and young people with a sensory impairment. You can download the checklist using the following link: NatSIP – A place to start – Working with a child or young person with sensory impairment
What good looks like: This checklist is designed to be used in both mainstream and special school settings and as a first port of call by non-specialist sensory impairment staff. The aim is to flag areas which require further investigation, attention or support whilst carrying out classroom observations or learning walks. You can download the checklist using the following link: https://www.natsip.org.uk/doc-library-login/natsip-briefing-documents-and-papers/what-good-looks-like-observational-schedule