Memorandum submitted by Mobility and Independence
Specialists in Education (MISE)
I am writing as Chair of the Mobility and Independence
Specialists in Education group (MISE). This is a national, curriculum
group of over 150 members who provide Mobility and Independence
(M&I) Education, for children and young people with a visual
impairment. These professionals work in a variety of contexts
such as Local Education Authorities, Special Schools and Social
Service departments.
The aim of a M&I programme is to provide
children and young people with the skills and strategies that
will help them to maximise their potential to lead independent
lives in the future.
It is every child's right to have physical access
to their educational environment, as well as in the wider world.
For those with a visual impairment, this can only happen if they
have access to a M&I specialist who will assess their need
at various stages of the child's life, particularly when in transition.
The child may then need a M&I programme to cover a range of
skills and strategies, from the development of their compensatory
senses and concept development, to long cane training depending
on their age, ability and level of residual vision.
There are many issues concerning the provision
of M&I Education, not least the variable nature of services
across the country as a whole. This is both a training and funding
issue as well as a lack of Quality Standards across the profession.
The result is that children and young people with a visual impairment
are often unable to access even an initial assessment or ongoing
M&I training. This is a particular issue for those children
who have additional special educational needs who are placed in
generic special schools. Many of these issues are supported by
the research project "Steps to Independence" (RNIB 2002).
The extension of the Disability Discrimination
Act into the Education sector should have raised awareness of
disability access in general, however most schools and Colleges
have focussed on access for people who use wheelchairs and do
not have the expertise to assess for those with a visual impairment.
It is the view of myself and many of my colleagues
that until there is official recognition of the profession and
the a Standard training required for people new to the profession,
as well as quality standards concerning service provision, we
will continue to fail children and young people with a visual
impairment.
Without M&I Education, many children and
young people will be unable to fully access their educational
opportunities. The current agenda of "Every Child Matters"
has great relevance to M&I Education which is directly linked
to each of the five outcomes.
As chair of MISE and a practising professional
for over 18 years, I am happy to support the work of the inquiry
in any way.
September 2005
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