Multi sensory impairment (MSI) is the loss of sight and hearing. It can also be referred to as deafblindness.

Learners with a multi sensory impairment face challenges in the following areas:

• communicating with others
• accessing information
• moving around the environment. 

There is no single/main cause as there are a wide range of conditions which can cause a multi sensory impairment.

Many conditions are extremely rare. Some conditions may cause changes over time in how well children see or hear, or in their health or general development.

Multi sensory impairment covers a large spectrum, it varies from person to person so it affects everyone in different ways.

Each child and young person, therefore, has to be assessed individually.

Further information & support:

• Sense provide support to help people communicate, experience the world and fulfil their potential.
• Deafblind UK provide information advice and support to those who need it. 

 

A specialist teacher of Multi Sensory Impairment will work with children and young people 0 to 25 years with or without Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) in homes, mainstream schools (maintained and academies), some non-maintained nurseries, some specialist provision and in some colleges.

Who the service provides for

Support is provided for children and young people who have both a diagnosed hearing loss and a diagnosed vision loss who meet the criteria according to the NatSIP Eligibility Frameworks.

How the service is accessed

Referral is through the Hearing Support Specialist Teachers and/or Vision Impairment Specialist Teachers or NHS professionals.

Pupils will be offered support from a teacher of Multi Sensory Impairment if they are already entitled to support from the Hearing Support Specialist Teachers and the Vision Impairment Specialist Teachers.

Support may include:

• Support to parents/carers/settings to help them understand the implications of having a multi sensory loss
• Support to develop pupils’ skills in communication and mobility
• Advice to support access to the environment
• Support to ensure access to the curriculum
• Promote use of residual hearing and vision
• Advice on specialist equipment and teaching strategies
• Loan of equipment
• Liaison with other professionals and to facilitate multi-agency working
• Advice on managing the learning environment
• Training for setting staff and other professionals
• Access to Deaf Blind Guidance assessment as appropriate
• Contributions to annual reviews, review meetings and multi-professional meetings
• Monitor and record progress through observation and assessments, providing written reports as necessary
• Observe in the classroom to support and inform inclusive practice
• Advice and support at setting/school transfer
• Advice on Local Authority policy and current legislation

Contact Specialist Teachers

Telephone: 01494 475199

E-mail: sts@buckinghamshire.gov.uk