Children & pupils who are supported by the North Lanarkshire Council Visual Impairment Service (Education)

Who we are:

The North Lanarkshire Council Visual Impairment Service (Education), based at Knowetop Primary School provides support to children, pupils and schools across North and South Lanarkshire in matters relating to visual impairment. This is a school based or peripatetic service where a wide range of assistance can be offered. As part of this service we offer advice in relation to:

Accessing the curriculum

Adaptations and resources
Low Vision Aids
ICT and assistive technologies
Sighted Guide and aspects of functional vision and mobility
Aspects of the pupil’s personal, social, emotional and health & wellbeing, from the perspective of them having a visual impairment.
The team is made up of teachers who have a wide range of experience in matters relating to education and visual impairment as well as having undertaken additional qualifications and training.

Working in partnership with South Lanarkshire Council:

North and South Lanarkshire Councils’ Education Departments (NLC/SLC) have a reciprocal arrangement regarding the support of pupils in both authorities who have a visual impairment. Essentially, this means that the NLC VI Service supports Primary school age pupils in both authorities and the SLC VI Service supports Secondary school age pupils in both authorities.

Who we link with:

As a Service within NLC Education we link with other agencies and partners, for the purposes of providing the most appropriate and timely support and advice for children and pupils, as well as their families. Some of these agencies and partners include:

Parents/carers
Link Teachers within South Lanarkshire and North Lanarkshire Council Schools/ educational establishments
North Lanarkshire Council’s Visual Impairment Service based at Knowetop Primary School in Motherwell
Educational Psychologists from North Lanarkshire Council and South Lanarkshire Council’s Education Service
NHS – the Lanarkshire Low Vision Aid Clinic and the Functional Vision Clinic, Orthoptists, and Ophthalmology Departments,
NHS – Yorkhill Hospital, Hairmyres, Monklands and Wishaw General Hospitals, Community Paediatricians, Speech & Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy and CAMHS teams.
Mobility & Habilitation Services, as part of the Social Work Department
Visibility
Guide Dogs for the Blind
The Royal National Institute for Blind People (RNIB)