Multisensory impairment may be picked up soon after a baby is born, or after tests carried out when older. If your baby is born deafblind, this will usually be picked up during newborn screening. These are a series of checks carried out to see if your baby has any serious health problems from birth.  Speak to your GP if you have any concerns about your child’s hearing and/or vision.

Deafblind guidance assessment is available for any child or young person who has a visual and hearing impairment that impacts on their daily life, this includes communication, access to information and mobility.  A request for a Deafblind guidance assessment can be submitted to the local authority regardless of whether you are already receiving services or this is your first assessment.  You should request to be assessed in accordance with the Deafblind guidance assessment. Councils in England and Wales have a responsibility to follow the requirements of the 2014 deafblind guidance.

In the case of babies and very young children it may be better to “watch and wait” before completing a full assessment.  This can mean that so a true account of their learning and development can be obtained.  This can more accurately inform future services they may need.

You can also contact the charity SENSE for a copy of the guidance.

The Child or Young Person must have a visual and hearing loss. They must meet the criteria for referral for vision and hearing. The Child or Young Person should be on the visual impairment caseload. as well as the hearing impairment caseload. Children and young people with a medical diagnosis of dual sensory impairment will also meet criteria.  Medical information must be provided indicating the level of impairment in both vision and hearing. Parents must have given consent for the referral to be made. The child or young person must be resident in Portsmouth.  An attempt to make contact will be carried out within 5 working days and a visit is offered within 10 working days of contact.  The child or young person will be visited by the Specialist Teacher Advisers for Vision and for Hearing. The levels of support will be guided by the nature, severity and complexity of their needs.

Level of Support

The level of support may be subject to change according to changing needs. The levels of support will be guided by the nature, severity and complexity of their needs, according to the National Sensory Impairment Partnership (NatSIP) criteria and informed by the VHT MSI Specialist School visit criteria.

www.natsip.org.uk

Profound multi-sensory loss will often be associated with a profound loss in both or the most affected modality

• Hearing loss in excess of 95dB.
• Usually Cochlear implant, radio aid and some will have a sound field system.
• Visual Acuities lower than 6/60 Tactile learner.

Severe multi-sensory loss: will often be associated with a severe loss in both or the most affected modality.

• Hearing loss 71-95dB.
• Children will be aided may have a cochlear implant, radio aids and some will have sound field system.
• Or context where there is a high risk of language delay, cognitive language disorder, auditory neuropathy or additional medical needs,
• Visual Acuities 6/36-6/60 (including diagnosis of Cerebral Visual Impairment) e.g. 6/36 means that a learner with a VI has to be at 6 metres to see what a fully sighted peer can see at 36 metres and/or
• learner requires large print over and including N24

Moderate multi-sensory loss  will often be associated with a moderate loss in both or the most affected modality.

• Moderate hearing loss: 41-70dB.
• Children will be aided, some will have a radio aid and sound field system.
• Visual Acuities: 6/18-6/36 and having an impact on their ability to access education e.g. 6/18 means that a learner with a VI has to be at 6 metres to see what a fully sighted peer can see at 18 metres and/or
• large print user N14-N18

Mild multi-sensory loss will often be associated with a mild loss in both or the most affected modality

• Mild hearing loss levels 21-40db.
• Children may have hearing aids/radio aids/Sound Field Technology.
• Visual acuities: Within the range 6/12-6/18 e.g. 6/12 means that a C/YP with a VI has to be at 6 metres to see what a fully sighted peer can see at 12 metres and having a low impact on their ability to access the curriculum and/or requires print up to size N14