RNIB has recently published an information guide for parents including general information on:
- understanding vision impairment
- the development of vision in infants and young children
- who can help including health, education, social care professionals
Early years
- learning to communicate, listen and read
- developing the senses and lighting and visual stimulation
- objects and toys and making play and learning fun
- mobility and safety
- choosing a school
RNIB guide to what to look for in an early years setting:
This guide gives advice on choosing an early years setting for a child with a visual impairment.
RNIB Focus on foundation guide
Guide offering practical ideas for the successful inclusion of children with sight loss in early years settings including reception classes. It is written for all who work in early years settings but may be of interest to parents.
RNIB Mobility and independence guide
The mobility and independence early years guide has information on movement in the early years for children with vision impairment. It suggests ways of encouraging mobility from birth onwards, including for children with complex needs. It also covers some ideas and tips to help you with teaching daily living skills for this age group.
RNIB Mobility and independence at school focuses on how to encourage children and young people to become independent in their learning and play
RNIB Social inclusion and social bonding at Nursery level
The guide explores social inclusion and social bonding at Nursery level, looking at some ideas to encourage blind and partially sighted young children learn to socialise and make friends.
RNIB Sensory development resource box guide
This explores ideas for toys and resources which will be useful for early years practitioners, and also parents or carers, who are working to support a young child with vision impairment:
RNIB Play Guide
This Play guide outlines the importance of play for children with a vision impairment. It describes different types of play and provides information on choosing toys and creating play environments to support children in their play
RNIB kitchen learning resources
Guidelines on stimulating your child’s vision around the home.
Ideas for teaching a full range of subjects to children and young people with vision impairment
The Council for Disabled Children
An extremely comprehensive and detailed source of information for parents, including development of vision in children, the effect of vision impairment in children on development, how to handle vision impairment with your child, play and learning in the early years, choosing an early years setting, resources, then school and into adulthood.
The Council for Disabled Children has produced “SEN and disability in the early years: A toolkit”. Each section of the toolkit provides a briefing on a particular aspect of the SEN and disability reforms as they apply to early years providers.
Each section is based on the statutory requirements and the guidance from the early years, the SEN and the disability frameworks, and draws on a range of relevant practice guidance and other materials to provide an accessible guide to SEN and disability in the early years.