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: 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
- 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: 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::
- Written by: Teresa Quail
In light of enquiries coming through to stakeholders (NDCS, BDA, BATOD, Signature, ABSLTA etc) on how to train as a BSL GCSE teacher we have collaborated together on a response to these enquiries in relation to secondary schools in England only.
Firstly, it is exciting that there are enquiries coming through on training to be a BSL GCSE teacher. We recognise the recent media coverage on the BSL GCSE has sparked such interest and we hope this comes to fruition.
There is another consultation by Ofqual on GCSE BSL in 2024; see Signature’s press release. The BDA have also released a press statement calling on the Government to invest in Deaf teachers to deliver the BSL GCSE. Teacher supply and training has been mentioned in the Government response to the consultation (p11-12) which gives further information on the DfE’s views in this matter; suggesting that the current workforce of BSL teachers already teaching BSL in the post-16 education sector could be utilised to teach BSL GCSE, as well as guidance on ITT BSL GCSE training for new trainees.
- Written by: Karen Riley
During the last Family Day: Our World on 23rd September last year, over 1000 people attended the event.
Please put the date in your diaries now for our next Family Day for families of deaf children on Saturday 21st September 2024 from 12pm-4pm at the British Library in London.
We have chosen the following theme for the Family Day, which we hope will be popular with families of deaf children:
Family Day: Marvellous Me - Celebrating the uniqueness of every child.
There will be creative activities that celebrate being an individual, discovering what inspires us and makes us unique, as well as championing others and exploring untold stories.
Please share the information with families, staff teams and through local newsletters & networks to encourage deaf families and families of deaf children to come along and have a fantastic day out for FREE! More information on the programme for the Family Day will be sent out in the summer term and will also be available on the British Library’s website (www.bl.uk) nearer the time.
- Written by: Jane Sharp
RNIB has published new reports providing insight into the current state of local authority provision for children and young people with vision impairment in England and in Northern Ireland. Read the reports on the RNIB website:
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
Seashell Trust has been awarded a contract by the DfE to offer a PG Diploma Mandatory Qualification in MSI. The course will start in September 2024 and will be delivered in partnership with a University, providing academic rigour as well as offering an opportunity to make use of the state of the art specialist campus at Seashell.
This offers teachers wishing to specialise in MSI a choice of training course and establishment again. This ensures children with MSI have access to the specialists they need and enhances availability of course providers for the sensory impairment sector.
The Seashell Trust MQ course will be delivered through distance learning and also offer ample opportunity to visit the Seashell site and benefit from the specialist facilities there.
Expressions of interest and applications are open now and you can find out more here: https://www.seashelltrust.org.uk/mqmsi-pgdip/. You will find that at the bottom of the webpage there is a link to book onto one of the monthly "Q&A - find out more about the course" online sessions.
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