A new national service is rolling out
After years of campaigning, England now has a government-funded special schools eye care service that could reach up to 165,000 children. The service brings optometrists directly into schools to carry out full eye tests, supply glasses, and produce reports for teaching and care plans.
Why this matters
Children with neurodevelopmental impairments have much higher rates of vision problems than the general population, yet research found that only 1 in 10 had visited an optician and up to half had never received any eye care at all. We often speak of vision impairment as a ‘low incidence’ need amongst children, but the reality is for children with a neurodevelopmental impairment it is ‘high incidence’. And for children with a severe or profound learning disability, some form of ocular or brain based (cerebral) visual impairment is almost certain.
Where QTVIs come in
You already know the schools and children who would benefit most from this service. Some ICBs (Integrated Care Boards) are seeking expressions of interest from schools right now, but many schools don’t know this opportunity exists yet.
Here’s how you can help:
Let schools know about the service. You’re often the first point of contact for vision-related matters and can flag this opportunity to headteachers and SENCOs who may have been contacted by their ICB to express an interest.
Help identify which children and schools need it most. Your knowledge of local provision means you can articulate where the gaps are.
Work with the visiting optometry teams. The service specification puts real emphasis on collaboration with teaching staff. Clinical findings should feed into teaching plans and EHC plans, and that’s where your expertise becomes invaluable.
What happens next
While it is early days for this rollout, each ICB will tender for services and match optical contractors with any interested schools. As the service gets established, it’s likely to uncover more children with unmet vision needs. It should also demonstrate just how vital VI services and QTVIs are to this population.
More information
For updates on the rollout:
- VIEW Members – read the extended article in the latest edition of VIEW Teach