Deafblind Guidance: Celebrating 10 years!

[itseasyifunohow]

I would be interested to know just how many people who have Deafblind children are receiving access to a Section 7 Deafblind Guidance Assessment to support and enable their child's access to services, clubs and leisure activities?

What is it?

The Deafblind Guidance expects local authorities to:

?identify, make contact with and keep a record of the deafblind people locally
?ensure that assessments are carried out by properly trained personnel
?ensure that appropriate services are provided for deafblind people - remembering that individual services for people who are deaf or who are blind may not be appropriate for someone who is both deaf and blind
?ensure that they have access to fully trained, one-to-one support workers if necessary
?provide information in a suitable format which is accessible to deafblind people
?ensure that a senior manager is given responsibility for deafblind services.

umm, not really. Although have had contact with ss sis.

Hi itseasyifunohow

March 2010 is actually the 10th anniversary of the Deafblind Guidance in England, so your question is very timely!

It?s difficult to say how many children have received a Deafblind Guidance assessment. Based on a survey by Sense, the national deafblind charity, in 2009-2010 there were 125 children in England and Wales who received an assessment. But this is only based on information local authorities give us and this can be patchy at best.

Have you noticed your child has sight and hearing problems? It?s good that you?ve heard about the Guidance because it gives you a right to get a dual-sensory assessment for your child from the local authority which they should then use to base any decisions on the amount and type of social care your child receives.

You can visit the Sense website for information on the Guidance here: www.sense.org.uk/campaigns/deafblind_guidance and you can also contact the Sense Information and Advice Service by email [email protected] or telephone 0845 127 0066.

have had a quick google and it would seem the LA only have 1 child listed and I know it's not my dd. I'm guessing they're not that bothered about deafblind dcs here then it has it's disadvantages living in a small authority, this being one of them, can't get specialist support in borough as there's no demand.