RNIB – Nystagmus Network

a group of children in brightly coloured tops stand together in front of a blackboard with chalked words and numbers on it.

Curriculum Framework for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment (CFVI)

Defining specialist skills development and best practice support to promote equity, inclusion and personal agency.

Overview of the CFVI

The Curriculum Framework for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment (CFVI) has been developed to support children and young people with vision impairment access an appropriate and equitable education.

The framework presents outcomes within 11 teaching areas:

Facilitating an Inclusive World
Sensory Development
Communication
Literacy
Habilitation: Orientation and Mobility
Habilitation: Independent Living Skills
Accessing information
Technology
Health: Social, Emotional, Mental and Physical Wellbeing
Social, Sports and Leisure
Preparing for Adulthood.

It provides a shared vocabulary to be used by children and young people, their families and professionals in the UK who work with them. A shared vocabulary supports both better communication and purpose.

Parents and carers

The CFVI can be used to enable parents and carers to understand the pathways of support for their child and the services who may be involved in providing that support within a given nationwide context.

This increased understanding of the areas of focus for a child’s learning, development and wider participation and the common language and shared vocabulary that the CFVI provides, should enable parents to feel more comfortable and confident when meeting professionals to discuss their child’s progress and participation in education and the wider world.

Join RNIB for the Curriculum Framework for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment (CFVI) Live Q & A Session

This is an opportunity to address the CFVI project team directly with any questions you may have about the framework itself, it’s development or its use in practice.

Book your free place

The Curriculum Framework for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment (CFVI) live Q and A is a free, online event taking place on Wednesday 4 May from 12 to 1.30pm.

You can book your free place by registering on Zoom.

Please submit any questions you would like to be considered by emailing [email protected]. The closing date for question submissions is Monday 2 May 2022.

Elections Bill could weaken protections for blind and partially sighted voters

Urgent update from RNIB:
The Government has put forward a draft law – the Elections Bill – which weakens protection for an independent vote for blind and partially sighted people. But there is still time to stop this from happening.

RNIB need to persuade the Government to maintain the existing law, and need your help to do it. Will you meet your MP to help maintain an independent vote for blind and partially sighted people? You can use RNIB’s simple online form to email your MP to request a meeting. Get in touch and RNIB will send you all the information you need to make your meeting a success! You can also join virtual chats with them to get tips on how to prepare. Or you can find everything you need to know on the Elections Bill on the RNIB website. You could also email your MP today using the pre-written email to MP which is available on the RNIB website.

RNIB’s latest research showed that only 1 in 5 blind voters and less than half of partially sighted voters were able to vote independently and in secret in the 2021 elections – this could get worse if the current wording is not maintained in the new Bill.

2 distance shields alongside 2 Nystagmus Network logos.

Please give me space

Now that lockdown measures are easing, lots of people, including those who are shielding for health reasons, are keen to ensure that social distancing guidelines continue to be followed.

Some blind and partially sighted people are concerned about difficulties with maintaining social distancing and are sometimes even resorting to not going out. If you have nystagmus it can be challenging to judge distances.

That’s why RNIB have worked with the Cabinet Office to develop a series of optional Please give me space badges you can print, wear or show on your phone. The idea is that people will immediately understand that you need space, but may find it difficult to maintain, so will help you by keeping their distance.

Find the badges on the government website here.

The Distance Aware initiative

Similarly, the new Distance Aware initiative is also welcome news. Using a series of distance ‘shields’, it enables individuals and organisations to politely prompt ongoing distancing and respect of individual social space. The scheme has recently been endorsed by the Department of Health and Social Care to promote the ongoing need for distancing. Also supported by the Welsh Government, the badge and poster templates are available to download here.

5 different distance aware shields. Each is a different colour with a chevronned border and in the centre a 2-way arrow indicating distance. Image includes logos of the Dept of Helath and Social Care, NHS Wales and the Welsh Government.

The Nystagmus Network hopes that the two schemes will help people living with nystagmus and low vision to stay safe, maintain their quality of life and continue to enjoy their independence.

The impact of COVID-19 on visually impaired children

A guest post from Rosaleen Dempsey, RNIB

Hi there

I am from the children’s services in RNIB. Wonder if you would mind sharing a survey for families about the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the education and development of children with VI. Survey has been designed by partners in the sight loss sector and is U.K. wide.

Parents’ survey closing this Friday – 15 May

This is the final week to to tell our governments/assemblies across the U.K. about the impact the COVID19 crisis and lockdown is having on the learning & development of your children and young people with VI. Please take a few minutes to fill it in if you can.

Take the survey here

Many thanks,
Rosaleen Dempsey,
RNIB

A new RNIB guide to outdoor play

The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) has recently released a new guide, Messy and Muddy, which explores outdoor play for children living with sight loss. The new guide offers advice for encouraging a child with vision impairment to get ‘messy and muddy’ and how to support natural development in a safe, accessible and fun way.

“Exploring outside helps children develop mobility and independence skills; it can provide tangible contexts for learning about literacy and numeracy; it helps them face challenges and take risks; importantly, it provides the perfect opportunity to have fun with friends and stay active.”
Download the free guide, here.

A letter from Santa

Children with vision impairment can receive a letter from Father Christmas in their chosen format, courtesy of our friends at RNIB.

Find out more, here.

A helping hand with taxes

Did you know that RNIB has a tax team that supports blind and partially sighted people with tax, tax credits and HMRC issues across the UK?

The team, based in Liverpool, is supported by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Mark Rogerson from RNIB’s Tax Advice Service told us how the team makes a difference to the lives of blind and partially people.

We make tax and HMRC issues clearer

We help people to claim extra tax allowances, such as Blind Person’s Allowance and Marriage Allowance, which can reduce your tax bill and these can be transferred and backdated. Our tax service is free, confidential and available to people with sight loss, regardless of their age or income. We can arrange help with form-filling, completing your tax return, claiming a tax refund and resolving problems. We also advise customers about which products and building work are VAT-free, saving them more money.

Since the service started in 2011, we’ve helped over 34,000 people, identified £3 million in extra tax allowances and tax credits.

We make sure people feel supported

We have access to a dedicated team within HMRC for people who need extra help with their tax and tax credits. We help customers who are unable to speak to HMRC directly because of hearing loss, dementia or living in a care home. We also have a fact sheet in different formats with information on tax allowances and useful contacts.

We help customers to use HMRC’s online services

HMRC have introduced the Personal Tax Account, which allows you to manage your affairs with HMRC online, similar to an online bank account, but for tax. But if you can’t get online or the issue is more complex, we can help arrange for an adviser at HMRC to come to your home or meet you at a local venue. It’s about making sure blind and partially sighted people are supported in all their tax-related queries.

You can contact RNIB’s tax team by telephone on 0345 330 4897, emailing [email protected] or to find out more about the service visit rnib.org.uk/tax

The picture shows Mark Rogerson – RNIB Tax Advice Service

Making the most of education – Rory Cobb

The Nystagmus Network was delighted to have Rory Cobb with us at Open Day 2017 to lead off the parents’ conference with an informative and inspiring presentation. Rory has a life time’s experience of working in the field of education and supporting children with low vision. Rory was ably assisted by his RNIB colleague, Sue Keil.

Here is their presentation: Rory Cobb presentation