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: Lindsey Rousseau
The JLA PSP research on childhood deafness and hearing loss, from the University of Manchester, began rolling out last year, and is now one step closer to identifying the top 10 research questions most in need of answers.
From the more than a thousand questions received in the first survey, they have carefully followed the JLA protocol to refine them into 59 summary questions. On 17th February the second survey, inviting stakeholders to rank these 59 questions, will be launched. This survey will remain open until the end of March 2025.
An English and a BSL version, with links will be available on this NDCS survey website on the specified dates:
https://www.ndcs.org.uk/research-priorities [ndcs.org.uk]
- Written by: Jane Sharp
Lots of Dots has been developed to raise awareness of the importance and value of inclusion. It does this through fun, multi-sensory activities, two of which tie in nicely with Braille 200 celebrations so are ideal for use in VI awareness sessions.
Download a free copy of the resource from RNIB's website: Lots of Dots Activity Pack.
No specialist knowledge of vision impairment or braille is needed to use Lots of Dots so it's perfect for mainstream colleagues and community group leaders who want to champion inclusion, as well as VI education professionals.
- Written by: Loretta Knop
Please find a link here to the world’s first piece of research covering Charles Bonnet Syndrome in children that has been shared by Judith Potts, Founder and Trustee of Esme’s Umbrella. The research is titled ‘They’re creepy creatures with human-like features’: children’s experiences of visual hallucinations in Charles Bonnet syndrome – a qualitative study’.
- Written by: Juliette Taylor
The Curriculum Framework for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment (CFVI) Resource Hub, which sits within RNIB Bookshare website, just got even better with a refreshed new accessible design.
The new website still has the same functionality that gives easy access to resources for those working with children and young people with a vision impairment (CYPVI) across the UK allowing them to better support their learners.
- Written by: Emma Fraser
In collaboration with researchers from University College London (UCL) and Aston University Birmingham, NDCS has developed a series of video resources for families of children with mild or unilateral hearing loss offering practical advice and reassurance.
Based on research findings, the videos, hosted on a dedicated YouTube playlist, also link to our website and useful resources mentioned throughout.
- Written by: Jane Sharp
Last year, VI education professionals shared how their services are implementing the CFVI. In a short document, the project team has summarised some of the ways in which the framework is being used: https://viewweb.org.uk/wp-content/public-files/Practical%20implementation%20of%20CFVI.docx
The full document with further ideas, including sections focusing on specific areas of the framework, can be downloaded from the RNIB website: https://media.rnib.org.uk/documents/CPD_Shared_Practice_2024.pdf
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
We are pleased to announce that NatSIP will be hosting a free, drop-in on-line workshop is for Heads of Service who have been (or will be) asked to respond to the 2025 CRIDE Survey on Thursday 6 February 2025.
For more details, please see here.
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
| Event: |
Lunchtime Online Discussion: SI and Complex Needs |
| Date: |
Thursday 12 December 2024, 12:30 - 13:30 |
We held a successful lunchtime discussion session on Friday 12 December 2024, with Joe Booker, (Lead Practitioner, Seashell Trust) as lead presenter. The discussion covered three themes:
- Identification and assessment in special schools
- Measuring progress in special schools
- Working with special school staff
Joe's presentation is now available to download from the Document Library
Available document:
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
The Consortium for Research into Deaf Education (CRIDE) reports summarising the results of the 2024 surveys in each of the four nations are now available. They can be accessed from either of the below websites.
https://www.batod.org.uk/information/cride-reports/
A UK-wide summary will be published separately in the new year.
- Written by: Jane Sharp
RNIB’s free CPD sessions for the spring and summer term are now open for booking on RNIB’s website: Training for professionals supporting learners with VI. Sessions are held on Teams and topics include braille, wellbeing, complex needs, reformatting and making practical lessons inclusive. All education professionals are welcome.
- Written by: Teresa Quail
BATOD has recently published a guide for higher education (HE) and teachers of deaf young people supporting transition to HE. It is available from BATOD: 'Articulating the specialism – the role of the QToD in HE'.
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
| Event: |
Conference: Raising the profile of multi-sensory impairment |
| Date: |
Wednesday 21 May 2025 09:30 - 15:30 |
| Venue: | In person at Sense Touchbase Pears, 750 Bristol Road, Birmingham BN29 6NA |
| Cost |
£80/delegate, reduced to £70/delegate for NatSIP-member organisations. |
| Booking: |
Fully booked. Places on the waiting list are available Please note that the event booking fee is non-refundable after 7th May. |
Calling all MSI specialists!
University of Birmingham, Kent STLS Sensory Service and NatSIP are delighted to invite you to join a learning and networking event for specialists working with those with multi-sensory impairment (or single sensory impairment) focused on practical applications for inclusive education.
Wednesday 21 May 2025 09:30 - 15:30
In person at: Sense TouchBase Pears, 750 Bristol Road, Birmingham BN29 6NA
With keynote speakers in the morning, sector stallholders over lunch, and workshops in the afternoon, there will be presentations and discussions around some of the most pertinent areas in multi-sensory impairment provision and support.
For more details see here.
- Written by: Ian Noon
Last year NDCS published a summary of some research led by Dr Hannah Cooper at UCL Ear Institute, and funded by the National Deaf Children’s Society. It sought to explore the early auditory experiences of deaf toddlers and identify if/when radio aids might be helpful, whilst still being mindful of other environmental sounds that might be important for deaf children to access.
We are now able to publish the full report for this research.
A research article on Deafness and Education International is also available separately.
Both can also be accessed via our website at www.ndcs.org.uk/research.
By way of reminder, the full recommendations of the research are as follows:
- Professionals should consider the full sound environment of deaf children under 18 months of age when recommending technologies to parents.
- With good guidance for use, radio aids would be beneficial for deaf children under 18 months of age, enabling parents to use radio aids effectively.
- Further research should identify the finer requirements for the use of radio aids for access to both speech and the meaningful sound environment for deaf children under 18 months of age.
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
The NHS in England has published a new guide on glue ear for children with hearing loss:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/PRN00675-iii-making-a-decision-about-glue-ear-if-your-child-has-hearing-loss.pdf
- 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
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
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