Welcome to the NatSIP Website
This website offers access to a wealth of SI resources, most of which are now freely available. We encourage you to register on the site for full access to everything we have to offer. Registration is free, and open to anyone. A walkthrough/howto on the registration process is here.
- Written by: Rebecca Liddiard
Seashell and Sense would like to invite Intervenors to join a free twilight webinar. The session will include a presentation from Sophie Cresswell, Occupational Therapist at Seashell Trust, and an opportunity to network and share experiences.
Tuesday 1st October 2024 Online via Zoom 3.45pm – 5pm
Sensory Integration
MSI learners face challenges with sensory dysfunction, processing and integrating information from their residual senses. How can we support our learners to be better regulated? Sophie will share ideas on how to support MSI learners.
** Please note that this a repeat of the session held on July 2nd 2024 due to high demand, rather than a follow on session!”
To book please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Written by: Jane Sharp
RNIB's free CPD training for VI professionals is now open for booking. This term the topics will cover:
- Exams
- Complex needs
- Retinitis pigmentosa
- Technology
All sessions can be booked via RNIB's webpage: Training for professionals supporting learners with VI
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
| Event: |
Training for Headteachers of SI Resource Bases |
| Date: |
Thursday 3 October 2024 09:30 - 12:30 |
| Platform: | Online via Microsoft Teams |
| Cost |
£90/delegate, reduced to £45/delegate for NatSIP-member organisations |
| Booking: | Now open |
We are pleased to announce that booking is now open for a new online training event from NatSIP.
Who is it for?
This new online training event is for non SI specialist team leaders or heads of schools with resource bases and commissioners who have responsibility for the sensory impairment workforce for children and young people who are deaf, vision, or multisensory‐impaired in their school.
You may be new to managing an SI team or currently in post in a school with a resource base and would like to further develop your knowledge and effective leadership to get the best outcomes for this low‐incidence group of children and young people within SEND in your provision. You may also be a commissioner or budget holder in an area with responsibility for SI provision and wish to learn more about the impact of sensory impairment on learning.
The training will cover:
- Whole‐school culture and ethos within an inclusive culture
- What does ‘good’ look like? Quality Standards, Audits and Reviews
- The practicalities of managing a resource
- Resource base provision ‐ developing effectve provision for the future
- Outcomes ‐ demonstrating the value added
The session will be interactive and provide opportunities for discussion and to ask questions as we explore these themes together.
The presenters are experienced Heads of SI services and Resource Base leaders from the sector and the training will be led by Alison Weaver (BATOD) and Rory McDonnell (Head of STLS Sensory and Physical Disabilities, Kent).
For more details, and to download a booking form see here.
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
The National Deaf Children’s Society teamed up with the University of Manchester, Aston University and Lancaster University, to find out what the research priorities are in childhood deafness, according to the people with real experience. Children, parents, and professionals working with children with deafnes/hearing loss. A survey opened in May 2024 and has now closed. A basic summary of the respondents to both the adult and children versions of the JLA surveys can be found on the following pages
https://personalpages.manchester.ac.uk/staff/anisa.visram/JLA_adult
https://personalpages.manchester.ac.uk/staff/anisa.visram/JLA_children
- Written by: Brian Lamb
'Meeting Local Hearing Health Needs: A Guide for Integrated Care Systems' has been produced by the Hearing Loss and Deafness Alliance, 29 organisations spanning the voluntary and independent sectors and professionals working in the NHS, to ensure that commissioners and health providers are aware of the resources developed to support the NHS Action Plan on Hearing Loss and other relevant guidance produced by NICE and other health bodies. By following the guidance commissioners and providers can be assured that they will be following best practice requirements to ensure that hearing health is promoted and hearing loss is addressed within health systems, improving lives and saving the NHS money.
The guide is now live in the News Section of the Alliance website https://www.hearinglossanddeafnessalliance.com/news-and-updates/more/118/page/1/alliance-publishes-new-guide-to-support-the-action-plan-on-hearing-loss/
- Written by: Lindsey Jones
Deaf education department colleagues in the University of Manchester have been granted the funding for a PhD for the study on risk and protective factors for deaf children's spoken language. They are now accepting applications. Details are available through this link:
https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/risk-and-protective-factors-to-spoken-language-acquisition-for-deaf-children-in-the-uk/?p172645
- Written by: Katy Mitchell
An exciting new booklet ‘Listening to Learn’ is available from the Ewing Foundation website: https://ewing-foundation.org.uk/listening-to-learn/
Listening to Learn is an e-booklet which is succinct and contains just the key information needed for busy people involved in the education of deaf children.
- It explains what glue ear is and how it can make listening hard work and tiring.
- It outlines the simple steps that can be taken to help children to hear at school.
- It provides information about improving the listening environment.
- Written by: Laura Hughes
MoorVision and Optelec are delighted to invite you to the UK's first regional VisionZone South-West Exhibition and Conference for Children and Young People with VI, their families and all professionals working in the field.
When: Wednesday 30th October, 10am - 2pm (Autumn half-term)
Where: The Woolwell Centre, Darklake Lane, Woolwell, Plymouth PL6 7TR
Cost: Free
Join us in meeting national and local exhibitors supporting local vision impaired communities among children, young people and students. Our goal is to connect parent/carers, students, and schools with available resources. Experience hands-on activities and discover various products at our events held in the main sports hall, along with talks and shows in the Bickleigh suite.
- Food, drink and activities for children provided and sponsored thanks to the Powell Family Foundation
- Free Parking on site
- Talks - Support, funding, equipment, education & services
- Sensory Show
Exhibitors include:
Clearvision books, Devon Football Association, Devon Insight, Echo, Empatheyes/Angel Eyes, Guide Dogs, Horizons Sailing, HPI International , Improving Lives Plymouth, In Focus, LOOK, MACS, MoorVision, New College Worcester, Optelec, Plymouth Argyle, Plymouth Sensory Support Team, Positive Eye, RNIB, Royal National College for the Blind, SENSIAS Services , Thomas Pocklington Trust, Ushers Kids, VICTA.
This is going to be an amazing opportunity so please save the date!
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. www.moorvision.org
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
Discover the latest, innovative practices from across the world at VE2024, the Vibrotactile Conference being held in Manchester this autumn.
Working together Ewing Foundation, University of Manchester and Seashell Trust have invited International speakers, university researchers, leaders in acoustics and manufacturers to demonstrate and discuss how vibrotactile technology is being used for balance, rehabilitation, speech understanding, music, meditation and much more.
The conference will take place on Thursday 24 October 2024, 9am - 4pm at Seashell, Stanley Road, Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, SK8 6RQ, United Kingdom
Details and registration are available through https://www.seashelltrust.org.uk/event/vt2024/
- Written by: Ian Noon
A new set of Family-Centred Early Intervention (FCEI) principles for children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) was published in February in a special edition of the Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education. There is free access to this at: https://academic.oup.com/jdsde/issue/29/SI
This is an expanded version of an international consensus statement on evidence-based practice, that was first published in 2013 by a consensus team of international experts in early intervention. The revised/expanded Principles have been refreshed with the latest evidence. There has also been a stronger focus on coproduction with family leaders and DHH leaders in the expanded version.
As before, there are ten Principles where there has been found to be strong consensus – these are summarised in this slide.
- Written by: Martin Thacker
The National Deaf Children’s Society is thrilled to announce that My NDCS, a brand-new app for parents of deaf children is available to download for free.
The app is there for every family, no matter their child’s level or type of deafness. To support their child today and as they grow, parents can:
- Explore tailored information and support whenever they need it.
- Read real-life stories from other families and deaf role models.
- Record key moments using the journal.
- Find out about events led by our experts.
Visit the NDCS website for more details and a poster that you can print and share: ndcs.org.uk/my-ndcs-app.
- Written by: Jane Sharp
The latest Freedom of Information reports from RNIB are now available: England 2023 and Northern Ireland 2023.
These reports contain a summary of findings from RNIB's Freedom of Information requests into education service provision for children and young people with a vision impairment.
The new FOI reports are available here: Freedom of Information Reports | RNIB
- Written by: Jane Sharp
RNIB is pleased to announce that their CPD sessions for education professionals for the summer term are now open for booking:
Training for professionals supporting learners with VI | RNIB
- Written by: Ian Noon
Resources from NDCS:
Communication tips for people who are deaf or hard of hearing
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
This University College London research project looking into the into the role of visual communication in reading development in deaf children is being led by Professor Mairéad MacSweeney & Research Assistant Elisabeth Taunton.
To date the team have recruited 68 deaf 4year olds from around England and are looking to recruit 50 children to join the project who are starting reception in September 2024.
Information about the project can be found at Visual Communication & Reading Development Research Project | Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience - UCL – University College London and the team can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
Yesterday (5 March 2024), Guide Dogs held an online launch event for the launch of new Reasonable Adjustments in Schools Guidance.
This guidance, produced in partnership with NatSIP, is designed to help teachers, schools and local authorities ensure that the approximately 41,000 children and young people with vision impairment across the UK have access to better support throughout their education with the same chances and opportunities as their sighted friends.
The guidance is available on the Guide Dogs Website and also in the NatSIP Document Library.
The following country-specific guidance documents are available::
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