How many blind and partially sighted children and young people are there?
It is estimated that there are around 25,000 children and young people in England and Wales from birth to 16 with a visual impairment (VI) of sufficient severity to require specialist education service support. Around 50 per cent have additional disabilities and/or special educational needs (SEN), including those with very complex needs. Most are born with their visual impairment.
Visual impairment in children is termed a 'low incidence' disability. Further information about the definition of low incidence needs for special educational needs and disability (LISEND) is available from the National Sensory Impairment Partnership (NatSIP) website.
A summary of statistics relating to the population of visually impaired young people is available to download:
Where are they educated?
Approximately 64 per cent in England and Wales are educated in mainstream schools, with the remainder in special schools. It is estimated that two per cent are educated in special schools designated for blind and partially sighted pupils (Keil, 2012a; Keil, 2012b).
There are only 11 special schools in England for blind and partially sighted pupils, and most of these pupils will have additional disabilities and/or SEN.
At post-14 the range of settings increases. Data on destinations of blind and partially sighted school leavers is patchy. There is a lack of information about learners who drop out of education and training and it has not been possible to calculate the approximate number of blind and partially sighted young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).
How do they learn?
Depending upon the degree and nature of their visual impairment, a pupil may use non-sighted or sighted methods - or a combination of both - for accessing the curriculum. Many will use some form of technology, such as a laptop with speech feedback, or a low vision aid, including closed circuit televisions (CCTVs).
Around 4 per cent of children and young people are estimated to use Braille (Keil and Clunies-Ross, 2002) although recent data suggests that the proportion may be higher in England (5 per cent). However, as some of these pupils have learning difficulties not all are expected to become fluent readers (Keil, 2012a; 2012b). Blind and partially sighted children with complex needs may use alternative communication systems such as objects of reference.
How are they supported?
There is a legal basis to meeting the SEN of children. Schools and settings who receive government funding are required to have regard to the Code of Practice and are expected to have a written SEN policy. They will also have access to a special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCo) to support children and young people and the staff working with them. This process is likely to change following the outcome of the government's SEND Green Paper consultation.
There are around 150 local authorities in England and Wales. Specialist support for blind and partially sighted pupils is usually provided by a local authority visual impairment (VI) service via peripatetic advisory teachers. The specialist teacher is often referred to as a QTVI (qualified teacher of pupils with visual impairment) as they are required to hold a specialist qualification in addition to qualified teacher status. RNIB is one of the providers of a Mandatory Qualification (MQ) course in disabilities of sight in partnership with the University of London Institute of Education (IOE) which leads to QTVI status.
The VI team may also include technology and resource officers who provide information and communications technology (ICT) support and prepare materials, teaching assistants (TAs) who provide in-class and curriculum support and a mobility teacher or habilitation officer should also be available. RNIB and IOE have collaborated on Mobility 21, a project to establish standards and training for habilitation (mobility and independence) workers with children and young people.
Support should also be available to babies and children with VI in the home and early years settings and young people in post-16 settings, but provision varies.