Do Local Authorities offer any financial assistance for children with vision impairment?
If your child has a vision impairment or other additional needs, you may be entitled to receive the following:
Respite Care
Your Local Authority may offer Short Breaks or Shared Care to allow parents and carers the chance to relax or spend time with others, knowing that their child is in safe hands. This could be with a Foster carer or at a children's residential care centre.
Direct payments
Your Local Authority may also be able to offer you direct payments, so that you can buy your own respite support or childcare. This can be useful to help your child access an out of school club or activity. There are restrictions on what the money can be used for, and each local authority has its own procedure for how it allocates direct payments.
For further information contact your local social services. You can find your nearest office on the Sightline Directory by entering your postcode and the search words 'social care and health' or by calling your local council.
