Support for children with sensory impairment
Sensory impairments, such as a visual or hearing impairment, have different levels of severity. But discovering your child has a sensory impairment can be a lonely time.
Our sensory impairment team provides assessment, information and advice to families and children of all ages following a needs assessment.
Training and equipment depends on the age of your child, however for very young children the service mostly involves registration and signposting to supporting organisations.
You can find out more by visiting MyLife - hard of hearing and sight loss.
Early intervention and support team
If your child is under 5 and has complex disabilities, health and learning needs, you may be entitled to support from a keyworker in the early intervention and support team. The service is designed to support children and young people living in Enfield who require involvement from lots of different agencies.
Help with transport
For help with transport, Transport for London offer information and assistance for people with sensory impairments.
Visual impairment
You can find advice and support about visual impairment from the organisations below:
- Action for Blind People
- Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB)
- Royal Society for Blind Children
- Guide Dogs
Pre-school
Informed Families can help you to search for childminders, pre-schools and playgroups near to where you live. You may also be eligible for free childcare via the Terrific Twos if your child receives the Disability Living Allowance, or has a Statement of Special Educational Need, or has an Education, Health and Care Plan.
School
Children and young people with a visual impairment who attend an Enfield School are supported by the outreach service from Joseph Clarke School (PDF, 91.45 KB).
There are different ways that children and young people with visual impairment can be supported to be at school, such as:
- having the lighting and environment adapted to by using yellow tape to mark hazards such as steps and changes in levels
- using talking keyboards or big keys keyboard
- software packages
Hearing impairment
There are lots of organisations that can provide you with advice and support about hearing impairment:
- National Deaf Children's Society
- Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID)
- British Deaf Association
- Cochlear Implanted Children's Support (CICS) Group
Pre-school
Informed Families can help you to search for childminders, pre-schools and playgroups near to where you live. You may also be eligible for free childcare via the Terrific Twos if your child receives the Disability Living Allowance or they have a Statement of Special Educational Need or an Education, Health and Care Plan.
School
Some specialist schools provide training for parents in British Sign Language at no cost.
Children and young people who have a hearing impairment and attend an Enfield School have access to a specialist speech and language therapist to support deaf children through the Sensory Support Service (PDF, 115.63 KB). The service provides information, advice and support about educational management and all aspects of hearing impairment. This could include language and communication, listening equipment and social and emotional wellbeing.
They work closely with babies, children, young people, families, carers, staff in educational settings, and key professionals in the NHS and social care. The support offered ranges from weekly to occasional visits throughout the year. The team offers visits to pre-school children and their families or carers at home, their local children's centre or another place of their choice.
All primary, special and secondary schools in Enfield have an allocated advisory teacher who will meet regularly with the SENCo to manage a caseload of identified children. Parents can access support by contacting the service or asking the SENCo in their child's setting to contact us.
The service uses the National Sensory Impairment Partnership to decide on initial support levels for each individual family. The level of support is reviewed and adjusted regularly in consultation with the advisory teacher of the deaf, families, carers and other professionals.
For more information, email hiteam@haringey.gov.uk or contact them on 020 8489 8338.