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.
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
The Guide Dogs Tech for All initiative is a commitment to make sure children with a vision impairment in the UK have access to an Apple iPad to use outside of school - to support their learning, or just to have fun and explore the activities and interests they enjoy. With excellent assistive technology built-in as standard, such as screen magnification, voiceover and audio descriptions, an iPad can break down barriers and make activities easier, like reading in larger fonts, magnifying photos, and keeping in touch with friends.
In 2022, Guide Dogs have 2,500 iPads available for children and young people aged 3-18 across the UK. The devices are completely free of charge, with the only requirement being proof of vision impairment. Guide Dogs also provide access to extensive digital learning resources to make sure that children can get the most out of their device, and to help ensure that they stay safe online.
Applications are now open at www.guidedogs.org.uk/techforall Stocks are limited so apply early to avoid missing out!
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
It is known that there is a significant variation in how individual children and young people adapt to living with visual impairment and how they view their quality of life, regardless of the level of their visual impairment.
Jugnoo Rahi, Professor of Ophthalmic Epidemiology and Honorary Consultant Ophthalmologist at UCL GOS Institue of Child Health and colleagues, are trying to identify the factors that shape these differences and whether these factors or events could be addressed through family-orientated interventions designed and delivered to improve quality of life.
One of the specific interests is whether they, as the clinical teams, can do anything differently particularly around the time of diagnosis, even if it is just better signposting to resources and services.
The study team at UCL GOS are currently recruiting participants (current and prior patients) through the NHS and also from the general public and they are really keen to hear from a wide variety of children and young people and their families. If this sounds like something of interest and you would like to hear more, please let the team know by calling: 020 7905 2241, or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The study has all necessary HRA and Ethics approvals in place.
- Written by: Teresa Quail
You may be interested in reading the article by Alexandra Adams about her journey to becoming the UK's first deafblind doctor in the latest issue of Enable Magazine.
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
Over 90 colleagues from across the SI sector joined us online with Microsoft Teams for this NatSIP working day with a single focus on the Government’s green paper in response to the SEND Review. The green paper, and the schools white paper, will have influence on future planning and delivery across all SEND provision, including sensory impairment.
The day included a presentation from André Imich from DfE and contributions of the key points identified by NatSIP partner organisations.
Discussions in the breakout rooms addressed specific questions in the Green Paper consultation. The information captured from these, and earlier sessions, will form part of the NatSIP response.
We are grateful to all who joined in the day and contributed to the discussion.
The presentations from the day are now available in the NatSIP Document Library, and can be found folder here .
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
Following recent changes to examination access for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities we are pleased to be able to share with you the April 2022 Updated NatSIP guidance for students with sensory impairments.
Many thanks to colleagues in the sector, especially BATOD and VIEW, for their work on this.
Available document:
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
You may be aware that the Department for Education has been working on the development of a new GCSE in British Sign Language since 2019, with progress having been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the complexity of the subject content. DfE thought you might wish to note the progress of this GCSE – they are currently working closely with Ofqual and subject matter experts to develop the proposed subject content before consulting publicly.
- Written by: Ian Noon
BBC Newsround are now providing BSL interpretation to their weekday bulletins
https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/60907249
This was something that deaf young campaigners had long pushed for and NDCS is really pleased with their success.
BBC Newsround have said that they are now working on adding captions to all the video content on their website. We expect an update on this soon.
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
An update, published on 1st April 2022, on DfE’s plans for identifying providers of Mandatory Qualifications in Sensory Impairment (MQSIs) from October 2023, follows;
'We are aiming to determine a long-term approach to delivering MQSIs and, through the approval process, want to ensure a robust market of providers in order to train a pipeline of specialist teachers to support children and young people with a sensory impairment. Our intention is to develop a new model which will:
- deliver a high-quality qualification that ensures that students with a sensory impairment receive the support they need from a qualified teacher able to meet their individual needs.
- enable long-term sustainability by ensuring there is a steady stream of sensory impairment teachers.
- raise aspirations for children and young people with VI, HI and MSI.
Furthermore, to ensure qualifications retain their currency and continue to provide sensory impairment teachers with the skills and knowledge needed, successful providers will be expected to work with partners in the sector to ensure their courses reflect any developments and/or technological advancements, and are based on best practice.
Invitation to Tender:
Following a prior information notice published in December 2021, yesterday (31/03) we launched an Invitation to Tender (ITT). The ITT will include the revised specifications and mandatory qualification outcomes, which set the minimum requirement of what a qualification should deliver, that were developed by NatSIP in conjunction with the sector in 2020. In their bids, providers will be required to demonstrate their suitability for developing and delivering the qualifications, including how:
- their course will ensure the specification and mandatory qualification outcomes are achieved.
- they will ensure their courses are high-quality and provide learners with the knowledge and skills needed to improve outcomes for children and young people with a sensory impairment.
- they will recruit learners to ensure a sustainable market and supply of sensory impairment teachers.
The ITT is open to 09/05 and on conclusion approved providers will be expected to enter into a contract with the DfE.
- Written by: Ian Noon
NDCS has published about the SEND review. This sets out the NDCS initial response to the proposals and is aimed at parents of deaf children.
https://www.ndcs.org.uk/blog/new-plans-to-improve-support-for-children-with-send-in-england/
- Written by: Ian Noon
NDCS has updated our note on what government data says about the attainment of deaf children in England in 2021. Due to covid, we only have data for GCSEs this year and there are challenges in making comparisons with previous years. However, we hope the note is still useful.
Key points:
- Attainment 8 score for deaf children is the same as last year. As the figure for all children has gone up, attainment gap has widened slightly. Across England, deaf children still on average achieve a grade less in GCSEs than all children.
- Figures for grade 4 or 5 and above in both English and Maths have both increased. The attainment gap between deaf and all children has narrowed on both these measures
You can also find this and other notes on our website at www.ndcs.org.uk/data.
- Written by: Ian Noon
NDCS has today published new research into wireless streaming technologies. They commissioned the University of Manchester’s Centre for Audiology and Deafness to carry out this research. The aim was to carry out a technical assessment of a small number of wireless streaming devices. It also explored how easy the devices were to use.
The research reports can be downloaded from www.ndcs.org.uk/research (2nd block down).
A National Deaf Children’s Society summary of the research, with NDCS's own perspective on the implications of this for deaf children, can be found at: https://www.ndcs.org.uk/blog/ndcs-summary-of-new-research-on-wireless-streaming-technologies/
- Written by: Ian Noon
NDCS has just launched a new online Deaf Education map for families.
https://deafeducationmap.ndcs.org.uk
The aim of this map is to help families who would like more information about support for deaf education in their area and who might want to be able to compare with other areas. The below blog provides more detail about what’s on the map, along with some caveats with how the information should be interpreted.
https://www.ndcs.org.uk/blog/more-information-about-our-deaf-education-map/
The new map is intended to complement the existing Other services map, on which families can find contact details for local services, resource provisions and special schools.
https://www.ndcs.org.uk/our-services/other-services-near-you/
NDCS will be testing and developing our new map in response to feedback from families. If you have any feedback yourself or any queries, please do get in touch with This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
We are pleased to announce another presentation NatSIP's MSI Regional Centre of Expertise Course A Practical Approach to Supporting Access to learning for Children and Young People with Deafblindness/Multi-Sensory Impairment.
This 5-day taught course is being delivered in Wandsworth, South West London, to meet the training needs of those working with deafblind and MSI learners in a different area.
| Dates: |
Tuesdays 3 and 17 May 2022 Tuesday 14 and Wednesday 29 June 2022 Wednesday 6 July 2022 |
| Venue: |
Lawrence Werth Training Space The venue is accessible by public transport, and there is on-street parking |
| Booking: | Open now |
| Presenters: | This NatSIP course is supported by trainers from Kent STLS Sensory Service. |
About the course:
This is a 5-day taught course covering key areas of working with deafblind/MSI learners. The course for any professionals (education, health or social care) who currently provide direct support for deafblind children/young people.
Delegates on the course will have the opportunity to identify and share good practice, whilst receiving support from a mentor. A mentor could be identified locally by participants and agreed with course organisers, or mentoring can be provided at additional cost.
- Written by: Lindsey Rousseau
NatSIP has today (27 January 2022) published a new Briefing Note: Considerations on the arrival of a refugee family with a child with sensory impairment.
Working with NatSIP partners, we have compiled information that will be useful to those who work where refugee families with children and young people with sensory impairment arrive or may be accommodated.
Our thanks go to all those have contributed to the development of this briefing note.
Available Document:
- Written by: Ian Noon
The latest Consortium for Research into Deaf Education (CRIDE) reports into education provision for deaf children in England, Northern Ireland and Wales have now been published.
These can be found online at www.ndcs.org.uk/CRIDE. They will also be available soon on the BATOD website at https://www.batod.org.uk/information/cride-reports/.
We anticipate that the report for Scotland and a UK-wide summary will be available in the next few months.
These reports set out the findings from CRIDE’s national survey of local authority specialist education services for deaf children and includes the latest figures on the numbers of deaf children, Teachers of the Deaf and much more.
We would like to thank all those who responded to the survey and who have helped inform the reports.
A preview version of the 2022 survey has been sent out to heads of services; if colleagues have not received this, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The final survey will be circulated in early February.
- Written by: Ian Noon
The Department for Education announced that face coverings will again be required in secondary classrooms in England. DfE have stated that this is for a temporary period.
NDCS have updated the coronavirus blogs for families to reflect this change on face coverings:
- Schools and other education settings - coronavirus info for families of deaf children
- Face masks and communication - coronavirus info for families of deaf children
One important nuance is that teachers are not expected to wear face coverings in classrooms when they are at the front of the classroom:
“We would not ordinarily expect teachers to wear a face covering in the classroom if they are at the front of the class, to support education delivery, although settings should be sensitive to the needs of individual teachers.”
DfE have also announced a further roll-out of air purifiers. NDCS would be very interested in any feedback from colleagues who have any experience of these devices – in particular, around any generation of background noise from these devices that may or may not be problematic for some deaf children.
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