Introduction
The peripatetic services supports the
educational needs of children from birth to 19 years who have a
significant visual impairment. Advice, information and assessment
can be provided to home and school.
Support is also available to children in
playgroups and nursery placements.
With parental permission information is
received from and shared with other relevant professionals and
services.
The nature and frequency of visits varies
according to the circumstances and needs of each child.
Referrals
We operate an open referral system.
Children may be referred by educational and health services as
well as directly from schools, parents and other support services.
Children within a school placement would usually be placed at
school action plus on a school’s special needs register.
Please see
the link to our online referral form
Nature of work carried out by this Service
Where do we work?
In the home, playgroup, nursery, mainstream
schools and special schools.
Frequency of visits
This varies according to individual needs and
circumstances. There are two types of support:
1. Those who need direct regular
peripatetic teaching support. Most often these children will have
a degree of additional support in school from a support assistant
and in such cases, visits from this service may well concentrate on
providing training and support to that person as well as direct
working with the child.
2. Those who require indirect support.
Their progress to be monitored so that if difficulties do arise,
they can be dealt with immediately. The most frequent visits we
are able to offer is weekly.
Statements of Special Educational Needs
Most school age children will have been known
to the visually impaired service prior to a statement of
educational need being required. The children will previously have
been placed on the special needs register at the appropriate stage
and the parents/carers involved.
Where a child’s vision is significantly
impaired and likely to affect his/her educational progress,
consideration will be given to requesting a formal assessment of
Special Educational Needs by the education authority so that
appropriate support and provision can be obtained for the
child.
The peripatetic teacher will collate and
contribute written advice to this procedure, they would also
advise on future appropriate placement.
The Role of the Peripatetic Teacher
1. Individual teaching of the child. This may
take the form of supporting work done in the classroom or it may
involve individual visual enhancement training, i.e. teaching the
children specific skills to help them use their vision as
effectively as possible.
2. The peri teacher may work in the classroom
alongside the visually impaired child where this is
appropriate.
3. Discuss and advise school staff in
relation to the child’s specific classroom needs. This would
include contributions to the child’s individual educational plan,
statement advice and annual review documentation and support and
advice to all staff involved.
4. Maintain links principally with the child’s
parents/carers, class teacher and special educational needs
coordinator (SENCO) in the school.
5. Provide specific advice as to environment
e.g. seating positions, lighting, size of print, reading and
recording materials, magnification etc.
6. Many visually impaired children require of
resources modification and adaptation. The peripatetic teacher will
support, inform and advise to enable access and learning.
7. Many children who are at school action or
school action plus do not require regular teaching support. These
children will be monitored in regard to their progress by
occasional visits to the school. This will allow staff the
opportunity to voice any concerns. After further assessment the
level of support may need to be reviewed.
8. Provide inset training to classroom
assistants employed as direct support to individual children and to
teaching staff.
9. Perform functional but not clinical
assessments of vision.
Outside Agencies
Other professionals involved in the needs of
our children may include:
- Hospital Eye Departments, Ophthalmologist, Optometrist,
Optician, Orthoptists and Low Vision Clinic
- Physiotherapist
- Occupational Therapist
- Other Educational Support Services
- School medical Health Officers and Health Visitors
- Pre-school teaching services.
- Social Services
- Rehabilitation and training services
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