Any advice, NinjaGoose perhaps?

[NoodlesMam]

I've had some fantastic advice from here before so I hope you don't mind me asking you lovely people again?

My DD aged 3.9 is partially sighted and attends a mainstream nursery. We've been having problems getting a QTVI out for assessment/support and any advice would be gratefully received!

DD did have some contact with a QTVI from our local LEA but she has been off sick for the last year. Also had some contact with another QTVI who is actually an old teacher of mine, she visited DD at her private nursery which was in a different LEA to home.

Before DD started the mainstream nursery near to home I contacted the sensory impairment team and requested that someone liaise with the nursery and discuss my DD's vision and her needs. I was told that there was no point in anyone other than the QTVI who was off sick contacting the school as she was the only one who new DD. Reluctantly I contacted the poorly QTVI and she very kindly made it in to the school and had a long meeting with the nursery teacher (maternity cover). Since then the teacher has left and the original teacher returned.

My DD's vision has deteriorated and the sensory impairment service should know this as hospital letters are copied in to them. Both the teacher and myself have tried calling sensory impairment as they feel they need some more advice/support/reassurance but no one has called back. Apparently the poorly QTVI has been replaced so perhaps the new one is working through a backlog but I'm still very concerned with the lack of contact, my DD has been at the nursery for 6 months yet no-one has contacted the school or been out to check on her.

Anyway as I knew the QTVI from the other LEA personally I gave her a quick call to ask her advice. She's been trying to contact our LEA with no luck but said she would keep trying for me.

So, if I can't get through to anyone, the teacher can't and if the other QTVI can't 'pull any strings' where do I go from there?

I'm absolutely gutted that there is supposed to be all this 'support' out there yet I've had to ask for everything, most of which I've only found out about through here.

Thank you for reading!

sorry to hear you're having such a crap time with them. Is your dd statemented? Have you put anything in writing to them yet, a strongly worded letter to the head of the service would be a good idea if you haven't already done this. You could also try parent partnership and the sen team at your lea, 6 months with no support isn't good. Even if there is a backlog it won't hurt to try to get to the top of the list, the sqeaky wheel gets the oil. Unfortunately this seems to be the way things are, I don't think many people get the support they need without asking, tis crap.

Thank you for your reply NinjaGoose. DD doesn't have a statement as QTVI said it's not necessary unless she starts to struggle and fall behind.

Sensory Impairment did call the school back yesterday and have been in to speak to the teachers this morning. Apparently DD had been forgotten about and her file is lost! I suppose I admire their honesty?

Anyway, the plan is to visit next Tuesday and 'start again' with assessments. I will be there too so will have an opportunity to ask any questions.

Teacher did query the need for a statement but again was told not yet. Luckily DD's teacher is quite pro-active and has told me she will be keeping a file as if we were applying so that everything is there for if and when it's needed.

Teacher also queried training for school staff and mentioned that I would also like to be involved. She's been promised a course in the near future.

I will wait to see if it all materialises and if not will be taking all the routes you mentioned.

Thank you!!!!

great news well, not the forgetting/losing bit, but the getting someone in bit! Teacher sounds good, but I'd be wary of anyone saying don't apply for a statement, it is very common for parents to be fobbed off with this and it often isn't true, so I'd go more for trusting your own judgement on that one. She doesn't need to fail, assessment could show that she needs a high level of 1:1 for her to continue to access the curriculum and also importantly, the school environment for her safety, with VI actual physical saftety is very important, it's not just about grades. Has anyone done a risk assessment of the school/playground yet? I don't know what your dd's level of vision is but it could be that all resources used have to be adapted so she can use them, whether that be just enlarging, changing contrast, getting stuff printed that they use on the smart board, providing cctv to enlarge things etc, all takes time and resources which the school may not be able to fund, especially as she moves further up the school.