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.

This is a closed Facebook group primarily for professionals in education, health and social care working with deaf children and their families. It is a place where professionals can provide feedback to us about our work, and a space for professionals from different disciplines to come together and discuss topics relating to working with deaf children. Professionals can join the group here.

There is a new resource from CIICA, with EUROCIU, with up to date information on the impact of hearing loss and deafness and on cochlear implantation in children. It emphasises the importance of newborn screening and early diagnosis, with the opportunity for early implantation.

The link, where you can download your copy to share, is here: to https://ciicanet.org/resources/

NDCS has updated its guidance for higher education providers. It is aimed at higher education staff who would like to better understand the needs of deaf students including university disability advisors, admission tutors and lecturers. It is free to download from: https://www.ndcs.org.uk/documents-and-resources/deaf-friendly-higher-education/

NDCS has just published a position paper on support to families with deaf children to learn sign language.

https://www.ndcs.org.uk/media/8089/position-paper-on-support-to-families-to-learn-sign-language.pdf

NDCS is sometimes asked what they think should form part of a local authority offer to families on sign language. This paper sets out what NDCS would see as key points to consider and we hope that it will be helpful.

Nadine Fitzpatrick, Research Manager at the National Deaf Children’s Society has information about a new research tender for NDCS.

This one is looking at the experiences of deaf children and young people, and their families, from black, Asian and other ethnic and culturally diverse groups in the UK.

'A key focus is the experience of accessing specialist services for deaf children. We hope to capture a range of experiences and where necessary, identify if and how these families could/should be better supported when accessing these services. We would also like to document any examples of good practice. We are particularly interested in early years’ experience and the support received post-identification as we know that this period of a child’s language development is critical for later outcomes in life.'

More details about the fund can be found here:

https://www.ndcs.org.uk/blog/applications-open-for-research-funding-experiences-of-deaf-children-and-young-people-and-their-families-from-black-asian-and-other-ethnic-and-culturally-diverse-groups-in-the-uk/

The funding is for up to £60,000 for a project completed by May 2025. The deadline for applications is the end of this November.

Anyone who would like more information before applying should contact Nadine: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Scottish Sensory Centre has just launched BSL Glossaries: Teaching Resources. https://www.ssc.education.ed.ac.uk/BSL/resources/

The SSC website notes "This is a collection of BSL resources to support teaching and learning, to help highlight and share other resources and avoid duplication of effort.

These links have been provided by the SSC BSL Glossary team and colleagues from across the UK and beyond. If you would like to suggest a resource for inclusion, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it."

 

The UCL researchers for this important longitudinal study are seeking participants.

If you know a deaf children who meet the criteria please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The children need to:

  • start Reception in the school year 2022/23 (or 2023/24)
  • be diagnosed as severely or profoundly deaf before the age of 3yrs regardless of communication modalities
  • have lived in the UK for at least the last 6 months 
  • have no disabilities that would prevent them from completing 30mins of tasks on a computer

If you are able to assist at all with recruitment please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The study, in the Deafness Cognition and Language Research Centre, has been approved by the UCL Research Ethics Committee.

 

Following the publication of the Government's Green Paper SEND review: Right support, Right place, Right time  NatSIP has worked with organisations and partners in the sector on a response to the consultation.

We would like to thank all colleagues who have contributed and look forward to working with you as the work develops.

The NatSIP response documents are available for download:

Will Quince, the Minister of State for School Standards, has recorded a message about the end of the consultation and next steps. To watch the video in full, please visit Twitter: https://twitter.com/willquince/status/1550464956369444864

For more information about the SEND and AP Green Paper please visit the SEND Review website: https://sendreview.campaign.gov.uk/
 

NDCS has updated their policy briefing on the SEND review. The updated briefing can be found at:

https://www.ndcs.org.uk/media/7653/send-review-2022-ndcs-policy-briefing.pdf

 

By way of reminder, NDCS also have a guide for parents on responding to the SEND review consultation at:

https://www.ndcs.org.uk/get-involved/campaigning/campaigns-england/the-send-review-in-england/

BATOD is keen to invite you to participate in a survey investigating the views of qualified Teachers of the Deaf, those in training and associated professionals about the Audiology Refreshers resources that are available through BATOD.
 
QToD views and perspectives are very important and will help guide BATOD in further developing these resources. 
 
We expect the survey to take approximately 5 minutes to complete. We really value your time and feedback. Please can you complete this survey and share it with colleagues and relevant students and professionals to encourage as many responses as possible. 

The more responses we receive, the better and more influential the findings will be in shaping the future of the Audiology Refreshers.

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!

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.

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.

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 .

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:

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.