The information below is particularly relevant for practitioners working with children in the early years or those at a similar developmental stage.
‘Practitioners need to decide what they want children in their setting to learn, and the most effective ways to teach it. Practitioners must stimulate children’s interests, responding to each child’s emerging needs and guiding their development through warm, positive interactions coupled with secure routines for play and learning.’ (Early Years Foundation Stage EYFS 1.16)
This section describes children who have Multi-Sensory Impairment. The term ‘Multi-Sensory Impairment’ usually refers to children who have a combination of hearing loss and vision impairment (i.e. dual-sensory loss) which used to be known as deaf blindness.
Children with Multi-Sensory Impairment usually have their needs identified at a very early stage. Occasionally Multi-Sensory Impairment may occur as a result of an accident, trauma or a progressive syndrome in an older child, for example Usher syndrome, Alstrom syndrome. Some children also have additional difficulties or developmental delay.
Support and advice from a range of professionals is essential to meet the complex nature and pattern of needs displayed by these children.
Websites
- Sense Active for professionals are a charity which support people with complex disabilities, including deafblindness.
- The Council for Disabled Children is the umbrella body for the disabled children's sector in England, aiming to improve outcomes and uphold the rights of disabled children and young people.
- Sense Sensory designs bespoke, inclusive sensory environments and safety padding for schools, healthcare, and private settings across the UK.
- Soundabout are a charity that utilises music, sound, and silence to support individuals with learning disabilities and complex needs.
Self-help resources
Bespoke specialist advice is available from the SENSS Multi-Sensory Impairment team
The SENDCO Helpdesk is a free early advice service that can discuss concerns at an individual or whole school/setting level. It is aimed to help support SENDCOs (or practitioners supporting SEND in early years) to consider the next steps when implementing the Graduated Response so that the needs of children with SEND are met as early as possible.
The developmental journal for children and young people with multiple needs is a Developmental Journal that is designed to help families and practitioners support the achievements of children whose development is affected by multiple factors that result in challenges to learning.
Training
If a child appears to have a Multi-Sensory Impairment that has not been previously identified contact the advisory teacher for Multi-Sensory Impairment (MSI) from SENSS. An advisory teacher from the SENSS Multi-Sensory Impairment Team will undertake specialist assessment and provide specialist advice. S/he will also advise about involving any other professionals.
Early Years SEND Advisory Team training offer The Early Years SEND Advisory Team provides a comprehensive range of training to assist settings in the identification and support of Early Years children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The training offer includes: Early Years SENDCO Core training, SEND training for Childminders, the Graduated Response, planning and reviewing SEN support and outcome plans, effective communication and partnership with parents and carers as well as specific sessions to address particular areas of learning need.
Specialist support in setting
The multi-sensory impairment team is part of SENSS which is a countywide Special Educational Needs (SEN) teaching and advisory support service.
Multi-Sensory Impairment is also called deafblindness or dual sensory loss. Support is available to children who have a diagnosed hearing impairment and vision impairment.
Referrals come via the child’s paediatrician, audiology department and/or the Eye Hospital, or from the SENSS Deaf and Hearing Support Team, or SENSS Vision Impairment Team once a child’s dual sensory loss or potential dual sensory loss is confirmed.
The Multi-Sensory Impairment team can be contacted via senss@oxfordshire.gov.uk.
Health Visiting Services offer support to families at home and in the community from pre-birth until the child turns 8 years old. See information on how Health Visiting and early years settings working together.
A Single Point of Request for Involvement (SPORFI) is a multiagency form used to request support from various educational and health teams for children under 5 with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For further information see the Single Point of Request for Involvement (SPORFI) Flowchart.
Complete the SPORFI form to make a request. Services that can be requested include:
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Speech and Language Therapy (feeding)
- Physiotherapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Early Years SEND team
- SENSS – Physical Disability
The Occupational Therapy service helps children participate in everyday life and become as independent as practically possible at school and at home. The service provides assessments, advice, activity programmes and therapy for children with a range of physical or developmental conditions that affect their daily life.
Early Help Children’s Services Early help refers to the collaborative approach taken by all services working with children and families to provide support for a family before problems escalate. Accessing early help can address potential issues and improve outcomes for children, young people, and families. More information can be found here.