Habilitation Support

Registered Qualified Habilitation Specialists (RQHS), train Children and Young People (C/YP) in any aspect or activity of day-to-day life that may be tricky due to Vision Impairment (VI), to help them to acquire new skills and to enable maximum levels of independence. Habilitation involvement is based on a continuum of proactive support rather than reactive intervention.

RQHS work in partnership with the Qualified Teacher of the Vision Impaired (QTVI) and continue to be available as appropriate according to need, this support will follow the C/YP at pertinent times in their development and transitions.  For C/YPs who are Severely Sight Impaired (SSI)/Blind or have diagnosed Cerebral Visual Impairment, Habilitation support begins as soon as possible after diagnosis and referral.

RQHS also provide environmental advice to improve access for those with VI, contribute reports as part of Education Health Care Plans, provide transition support, deliver training to those working or caring for a C/YP with VI and work with other professionals such as Physiotherapists and Occupational therapists within the team around the C/YP with Vision Impairment.

Some of the support RQHS offer:

• Orientation and Mobility including:
  • Vision strategies for Orientation, travel and Independence
  • Vision technology training
  • Public transport training
  • Early movement, body awareness & Sensory integration
  • Long cane training
  • Safe route's and setting familiarisation
• Independent living skills including:
  • Personal care, dressing, access to baths/showers etc
  • Self-advocacy
  • Kitchen skills, cooking, household tasks/ management
  • Access to technology in the community

Referrals

Referrals to the RQHS are made by the Qualified Teacher of the Vision Impaired, supporting children and young people in response to level of vision or diagnosis.

We offer support to children and young people (0 to 18 years or 25 years with EHCP) with a diagnosed visual impairment who meet our referral criteria. We support pre-school children and like to be involved as soon as a visual impairment has been diagnosed and confirmed.

Habilitation VI UK (opens new window) hold the register for Qualified Habilitation Specialists (RQHS) who meet the required National Quality Standards for habilitation training:

For further advice on visual impairment and independence you can visit the website for the Royal National Institute of Blind People (opens new window) (RNIB). To learn more about Habilitation Specialists and their work visit https://habilitationviuk.org.uk/ (opens new window).