Page 71 - SEN113 SEN Magazine July-August 2021-V3

Visual impairment Emotional support advice for children with vision impairment Craig Brown helps breakdown barriers. 71 The Covid-19 pandemic has had an enormous impact on children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. Those with a vision impairment had new barriers to overcome with no forewarning. Alongside the difficulties of accessing educational materials and specialist provision, came a high volume of concerns from parents, carers, and young people themselves regarding the need for emotional support. Some of these were themes common to all children and young people such as issues with confidence, resilience, and self-esteem. All children and young people face hurdles and challenges as they grow, live, and learn. Learning to manage feelings, face problems, resolve differences and difficulties and develop resilience and coping strategies is a common part of growing up. This was amplified during a time of real uncertainty where daily structure and routine was taken away, pretty much overnight. Children and young people with vision impairment experience the same everyday experiences, feelings, and reactions as many of their peers. There may also be some particular issues relating to having a vision impairment, where it is helpful for parents, siblings, friends, family and other people to give support. This article will look at some of the concerns that parents, carers, and young people highlighted that are specific to having a vision impairment. Many parents and carers will have experienced concerns for their children around isolation and anxiety but there was an additional element for those with children having a vision impairment. Children and young people across the UK were being guided towards a virtual world in which video “All children and young people face hurdles” communication software, social media platforms, messaging apps and video gaming were not always accessible for those with an eye condition. This heightened the feeling of isolation for some as they were unable to socialise with friends in person and were coming across barriers to accessing alternative options. The importance of maintaining relationships through phone calls, socially distanced meetings and creating accessible ways of interaction was - and remains – imperative for their wellbeing. Even those who were able to attend their education settings found new systems for social distancing such as one-way routes. While there were practical and logical reasons for these routes to be put in place, often the impact of these on students with a vision impairment were missed. This added an extra layer of anxiety for some children and young people. It was, and still is, vital that these concerns are communicated and finding solutions must always involve the relevant specialists such as Qualified Teachers of Vision Impairment (QTVI) or Habilitation Specialists (RQHS). Guidance is available to articulate clearly and directly the responsibility settings have and the ways in which they can make suitable adjustments to support students. senmagazine.co.uk SEN113