What education professionals, such as QTVI's, can help with my child’s education?

Specialist teachers in schools 

Every school has a teacher with specialist training who coordinates the provision for children with special educational needs or disabilities.  These specialist teachers have different names in different countries: 

• England: Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) 

• Northern Ireland: Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) 

• Scotland: Additional Support Needs (ASN) teacher 

• Wales: Additional Learning Needs Coordinator (ALNCO) 

Many are also class teachers and fulfil their specialist duties on a part-time basis. A specialist teacher makes sure that any recommendations or input from external specialists (like QTVIs, other sensory teachers, physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, etc) is delivered in school. 

Qualified Teacher of children and young people with Vision Impairment (QTVI) 

These specialist teachers are based in a specialist service, sometimes called the “VI Service” or “Sensory Service” at the local authority (England, Scotland, Wales) or Education Authority (Northern Ireland) and work on a peripatetic or visiting teacher basis. A QTVI will have a caseload of children across several schools in an area. They perform assessments of children with VI and define the resources, adaptations and support that should be made to enable access to learning. They are likely to use The Curriculum Framework for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment (CFVI) as guidance to ensure all areas of learning are covered. QTVIs can also be involved in direct teaching of specific subjects or skills, particularly for braillists where they may go into schools for certain lessons. Another key aspect of the work of a QTVI is to provide ongoing advice and training for in-school teachers and teaching assistants about meeting the needs of pupils with VI children. QTVIs have teacher training and complete a 2-year postgraduate qualification (mandatory requirement by DfE) specifically in the needs of children with VI. 

A summary of the other education professionals that are likely to support an child or young person with vision impairment can be found here: Who does what in eye care? | RNIB 

RNIB Specialist Advice Service Advisors can give further information on this topic