Specialist Teacher for Multi-Sensory Impairment
The Specialist Teacher for Multi-Sensory Impairment is part of the Vision and Hearing Support Service. We provide advice and support for children and students with Vision Impairment, Hearing Loss and Multi-Sensory Impairment who live or go to school in the Southend-on-Sea Local Authority.
Southend City Council has a Qualified Teacher for Multi-Sensory Impairment (QTMSI) who can offer support and advice to families and schools.
We offer:
- home visits - advice and support to families in order to best develop language, communication, listening, and vision skills. We monitor the progress of the multi-sensory impaired child. We provide strategies and support to establish consistent use of hearing aids, cochlear implants, and glasses
- school visits (mainstream or special) - advice, strategies, and recommendations to support curriculum access. We check hearing equipment and provide advice on maintenance and care
- Multi-Sensory Impairment Awareness Training - training to develop knowledge and understanding of multi-sensory impairment and strategies to access the curriculum
- transitional support - advice at key transition times
- radio aids - assessments for suitability and advice on the system to best meet the needs of the individual
- collaborative working - close working with Southend City Council's Qualified Teacher for Vision Impairment, Habilitation Officer, Qualified Teacher of the Deaf and Family Support Worker / Signing Instructor for children with hearing loss, strong links with the Specialist Speech and Language Therapist for children with hearing loss, Cochlear Implant Teams, the local Audiology and Ophthalmology Services
How children and young people can access the Specialist Teacher for Multi-Sensory Impairment
Children and young people need to be referred to the service. Referrals can be made by medical professionals (for example audiologists, ophthalmologists and paediatricians), directly to the Advisory Specialist Teacher for Multi-Sensory Impairment.
Schools, nurseries and other educational settings can request support from the Specialist Teacher for Multi-Sensory Impairment with parental consent. This can be done by completing the relevant referral form:
- SEN early years referral form
- school referral form
- non-school referral form
Contact the Specialist Teacher for Multi-Sensory Impairment
Civic Centre, Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 6ER.
Paula Holmes - Specialist Teacher for Multisensory Impairment (MSI) and Specialist Teacher of the Deaf. Email: paulaholmes@southend.gov.uk or vias@southend.gov.uk
Information about Multi-Sensory Impairment
The Specialist Teacher for Multisensory Impairment has produced some infomation about Multi-Sensory Impairment including details of organisations providing support and information.