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Schools and learning

Sensory support service

The Sensory Support Service provides educational support to:

  • children and young people (CYP) with hearing loss and/or a vision impairment from birth to age 25
  • their families
  • their educational settings. 

The service is based in Bristol but provides support across Bristol, South Gloucester, Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset. The service is able to travel to settings to support children and young people.

Please note, the service does not provide support to children and young people with other sensory needs which are not related to vision or hearing loss. 

Who we are and what we do

The service has a range of specialist staff including: 

  • Qualified Teachers of Vision Impairment (QTVIs)
  • Teachers of the Deaf (ToD)
  • Teachers of Multi-Sensory Impairment (MSI)
  • Educational Audiologist
  • Specialist Teaching Assistants
  • Sign Language Communication Advisors. 

They can provide support such as:

  • assessments (statutory and non-statutory)
  • advice, support, and training
  • teaching of specialist skills - such as braille, language and communication skills, self-advocacy, technology, support with transitions in education, etc.
  • Stay and Play Early Years’ group for babies and young children who are deaf or have vision impairment and other support groups across the area

More information and resources

If you want to join any of the support groups, or you would like more information about the service, please see their dedicated website.

It includes such resources as:

sensory support service website

Supporting organisations

There are additional organisations in the area which can also provide support to children and families with hearing loss and/or vision impairment.

Family Centre (Deaf Children) 

See The Family Centre (Deaf Children)website - guidance and support to families living with deafness in Bristol and the surrounding area for more details. 

NDCS

See the National Deaf Children's Society website for more details. 

Bristol Deaf Children's Society

Bristol Deaf Children's Society is a parent-led group which aims to provide a support network for parents of children with all types and levels of hearing loss and deafness.

Join their Facebook group for more details. 

Centre for the Deaf

See the Centre for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People website - information and services for deaf and hard of hearing people in Bristol and surrounding area for more details.