Welcome to the NatSIP Website

This website offers access to a wealth of SI resources, most of which are now freely available.  We encourage you to register on the site for full access to everything we have to offer.  Registration is free, and open to anyone.  A walkthrough/howto on the registration process is here.

NatSIP end-of-term update - July 2020

As the end of the academic year approaches we still find ourselves in very unexpected times. Covid-19 has had an impact on professional and personal lives and the future, with the return to school envisaged in September, is still unknown.

NatSIP has aimed to share as much information as possible as the pandemic developed. We have been very grateful for the work of NDCS, RNIB, BATOD and VIEW, to name but four partner organisations who have stepped up their activity in order to lead us through the maze of guidance and information coming from government, and also helping us identify the specific and pertinent issues for our children and young people with sensory impairment, which may otherwise have been overlooked.

As you know NatSIP has been actively working with DfE and ensuring that the needs of those with low incidence disability are kept on the radar. Our response to the Education Select Committee Inquiry on the impact of Covid-19 has now been published and can be found at https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/8329/pdf/ We have also been working with colleagues in Whole School SEND and nasen to keep the Sensory Impairment agenda live within SEND. We hope that our work will bear fruit and be reflected in general guidance and practice as the 'new normal' in the classroom starts to take place next term.

We have really missed seeing colleagues at NatSIP events and are aiming to rectify that. NatSIP is looking to run a National Working Day in November. We are aware of many national policies and strategies that you want to address and hope that we can include them in a virtual day of presentations and workshops. Watch this space for details!

We are also aware that a large part of the value of working days is the networking opportunities and we will be organising, starting in September, some interactive small group 'twilight' sessions.

Other NatSIP CPD opportunities will include:

  • a short course on 'Developing decision making with children and young people with SI and additional needs'
  • updating the NatSIP TA training and holding a 'train the trainers' course
  • Sensory Impairment and Sensory Integration

This is a big 'watch this space' message, and it is also a very big thank you to all of you for continuing to work with children and young people with sensory impairment through a very difficult time. Thank you for your support of NatSIP and enjoy a very good summer break.

Lindsey Jane Rousseau
on behalf of the NatSIP Reference Group