The Sensory Consortium Service have trained staff to deliver Mobility programmes for children from pre-school to age 25 years where they have an identified vision impairment.

It is provided as part of the Berkshire Sensory Consortium Service package of support for pupils on caseload but can be purchased for pupils not on caseload when there is staffing availability.  They will work with Adult Mobility Teams to enable transition of this provision once the pupil has left school.

The Mobility/Habilitation staff can provide:

• Visits to pre-school children at home and/or nursery to assess their needs and provide appropriate advice and training.

• Assessment of independence skills, orientation and mobility, on an ongoing basis.

• Training programmes for mobility within school and home environment according to pupil need.

• Orientation and mobility training which would include use of mobility aids, low vision aids and auditory training.

• Training in the use of tactile and/or auditory mapping.

• Development of independent travel skills, i.e. use of public transport.

• Training for vision impaired children in wheelchairs or with other additional needs.

• Mobility training outside of normal working hours for pupils with particularly poor night-time vision.

• Support for the inclusion of pupils in out of school social activities where Mobility is central to the activity.

• Our staff also participate in statutory assessments and review procedures for pupils with a vision impairment.