1. Our Future Matters

2. The Young Vision Alliance
Parents, young people sector organisations
RNIB, Guide Dogs, Hab VI UK , Moorvision, Nystagmus Network, Royal National College for the Blind (RCB), RSBC, TPT, VICTA, VIEW and Vision UK.
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3. The aim of the alliance
To make sure no child with vision impairment is left behind.
Campaign for better educational provision and outcomes for children and young people with vision impairment in England.
To speak with one voice.

4. Why now?
Vision impaired young people aged 16 – 25 are twice as likely to not be in employment, education or training as their peer group.
The proportion of registered blind and partially sighted people of working age in all employment has fallen from one in three in to around one in four in 2015

5. What we have done so far:
1. ‘Our Future Matters’
2. Education Select Committees SEND review
3. Parliamentary and MP engagement

6. 1. Our Future Matters
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7. Report headlines
1 in 3 local authorities cut their spending on services for CYP with vision impairment over a 12-month period from 2016/17 to 2017/18.
At least 700 pupils with vision impairment support reduced during the same 12 months.
Over a third of local authorities who had provided comparable data for 2017 to 2018 saw a decrease in the number of QTVIs.

8. Continued….. decrease in QTVIs and TAs employed by local authorities.
of those QTVIs still in place, 13% have double the average caseload – in excess of 100 children.
most local authorities had less than one full-time equivalent qualified habilitation specialist

9. Continued
A survey of parents found that: 47% had been forced to challenge poor educational provision because their child wasn’t getting the support they needed. Some had taken them out of school as a result and several had resorted to expensive and lengthy legal action.

10. We are calling on government:
To ensure that every child and young person with vision impairment;
1. Is assessed by education and habilitation VI specialists and given a plan, upon diagnosis, which is reviewed regularly. This plan must define the specialist support required to enable the child to fully access their learning and develop their independence.

11. Continued…
2. Has access to the same learning materials at the same time as their sighted peers, fully adapted to their needs. 3. Receives clearly and appropriately adapted national tests and exam papers of high quality, with relevant past papers freely available.

12. We are calling on the Government:
To ensure that every local authority;
4. Requires all school staff who support and teach children and young people with vision impairment to receive vision impairment awareness training from an appropriately qualified specialist.
5. Is given sufficient funding to provide and effectively manage appropriate numbers of QTVIs and QHSs to meet the needs of all children and young people with vision impairment, as defined by national standards.

13. 2. Education Select Committee
Submitted written evidence
Parent invited to provide oral evidence and provide further written evidence
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14. 3. Parliamentary activity
Attended by young people and parents
Lords and MPs came to find out more
Follow up work with MPs

15. What next? Communications and parliamentary strategy.
Key consultations, i.e. OFSTED
Key events:
Reporting on Mandatory qualification
Gaps analysis
Select committee report

16. How to get involved: Write to your MP Tell us your story
We want to hear the stories and experiences of young people and their carers and families
Follow us on social media #YoungVisionAlliance
Tell us your ideas of how you would like to be involved
Photo opportunity

17. Any Questions

18. Contact details
Tara Chattaway, Policy Manager: Chrissie Pepper, Policy Manager: George Holroyd, Parent:

19. For further information
and-education/protecting-local-vision-services-children-and
education-in-england/