Education Network Directory
One of the main features of education for children and young people with visual impairment is that it is a low incidence disability and expertise is spread thinly across the country. Bringing people together to share knowledge and understanding beyond their own school or local authority boundaries is essential.
The education network directory highlights regional network opportunities and special interest groups for professionals working with children with a visual impairment. Looking across England, the directory highlights opportunities for professionals involved with young people with a visual impairment in education, to come together for professional development, sharing expertise, peer support, training, and networking with those in a similar field and within regional bases.
Bringing professionals together in this way is a key part of promoting best practice in the education and development of blind and partially sighted children and young people.
For more information about networks in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland please visit our National Networks section or contact the relevant teams within each country by visiting our about us section.
Using the Directory
Find groups and support networks for education professionals in your local area by clicking on your region below:
National Networks
East Midlands
West Midlands
East of England
London and South East
North of England
South West
We currently have limited network information for the East of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. If you are aware of groups in these areas in particular, please do let us know!
Add groups to the directory
If you attend or know of a network or special interest group for professionals with an interest in visual impairment in your area which is not listed here, please let us know by emailing
National Network Groups
Accessible Formats
UKAAF (UK Association for Accessible Formats)
Location:
National charitable company with online information network
Target audience of professionals:
Any professionals or services who wish to find out about and contribute to best practice, and learn the skills and knowledge needed to deliver - or demand - best practice in accessible format production for people with print disabilities.
Description:
The UK Association for Accessible Formats focuses on setting standards and promoting best practice for quality accessible information based on user needs and enabling businesses and organisations to deliver a quality service to meet the needs of people with print impairments. These accessible formats include large print, audio, Braille, electronic text, and accessible images amongst others.
Service providers:
UKAAF helps businesses and organisations understand how to meet the needs of customers and clients with print impairments, and how to source and provide quality accessible formats like large print, audio, Braille and more.
Transcribers:
UKAAF helps those creating accessible format materials by sharing best practice guidelines for the production of quality accessible formats, and by promoting transcription services.
End-users:
UKAAF helps people with print impairments by collecting their views and sharing them with service providers and transcribers, so they know how to meet users' needs.
Contact:
For further information email or call 0845 60 85223
Key RNIB contact(s): Pete Osborne (Chair) (,uk), and Sarah Home (Ordinary Board Member) ().
Website:
UKAAF
Complex Needs and MSI
VITAL (Visual Impairment Touches All Learning) Network
Location:
National Network
Target Audience of professionals:
VITAL is a network of professionals working with children with complex needs and visual impairment. VITAL is facilitated by RNIB but is mainly comprised of teaching and associated professionals working in schools, services, early years and health settings.
Description:
VITAL has become a network of regional focus groups, that all are linked and represented on a national steering group. Focus groups are now operating around the country, providing an opportunity for visiting teachers of the visually impaired, school teaching staff and assistants, early years workers and other professionals to meet together for professional development and networking. Groups meet twice a year, to hear presentations and discuss topics relating to complex needs. Currently there are groups in the following areas:
· West Midlands
· London and the South East
· South West
· South Wales
Contact:
If you would like to find out about, or join, a group near you, contact for more information.
Website:
VITAL Network
MSI and VI Special Interest Group (SIG) - UK & RI
The group will be registered with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists as: MSI / VI SIG - UK & RI. It is a Specific Interest Group (SIG) focusing on communication, eating and drinking for children, young people and adults with MSI and VI. Membership runs for 12 months from the AGM in April and currently costs £20.
Location of group:
The SIG covers the whole of the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Currently, the majority of members and interested people are in the southeast, so the autumn meetings will be in London and the April meetings (inc. AGM) will move around the country.
Target audience of professionals:
SLTs, SLT Assistants, SLT students, QTVIs, QTMSI, Mobility Officers, Care Workers - all practitioners with an interest in the communication and eating and drinking of children, young people and adults with MSI and VI.
Description of Group Activity:
Meetings will be held twice per year, in April and October / November. Meetings will include case presentations, feedback from conferences and courses, discussions of topics of interest, opportunities for networking and presentations. The focus will be on supporting members to develop evidence based practice. Topics proposed for future meetings include AAC, developing intentional communication and Active Learning.
Contact:
Denise Charnock:
Website:
http://ianpbell.com/news/
Early Years
EYVI (Early Years and Visual Impairment) Group
Please visit the London and South East Networks section of this document for further information on this group.
Education and Vision Impairment
Vision Impairment Forum (VI Forum)
Location:
Online Network (Mail based network)
Target audience of professionals:
All professionals working with children and young people with a visual impairment within an educational environment.
Description:
VI Forum is an UK-based discussion group. It is for discussing issues relating to the teaching of students with visual impairments. The list aims to provide an opportunity for teachers and other educational practitioners to discuss issues and provide a practical information-sharing forum.
Contact:
For further information contact VI Forum Moderator, Janet Cuthbert by emailing
Website:
VI Forum Network
VIEW (Visual Impairment Education and Welfare)
Location:
National association for professionals with an interest in the education and welfare of the visually impaired.
Target Audience:
VIEW is a group that is open to professionals with an interest in the field of visual impairment.
Description:
VIEW represents Qualified Teachers of the Visually Impaired (QTVI's) and associated professionals on a range of Committees and Steering groups linked to VI issues and is our voice at government level.
Aims of the association:
· To represent the views of our membership through training, support and surveys
· To raise the standards of the education of children and young people in schools and in Further and Higher Education Establishments
· To support developments in the field to benefit individuals with a visual impairment
· To share and disseminate information
· To establish links with other organisations, sharing information to benefit children and young people with a visual impairment.
Contact:
Website:
View website
Children and Young People with a Vision Impairment Group (VISION 2020 UK)
Location:
Online network. Occasional face to face meetings.
Target Audience:
This Group is open to anyone with an interest in either the provision of services to, or issues relating to, children and young people with a vision impairment.
Description:
Vision impaired children are often marginalised within mainstream education or within the broad definition of "disabled children". The Group aims to identify an agenda or framework for children with a vision impairment to show who is providing what, where gaps may exist and where children and their parents can find the information they need. The Group will provide a forum for agencies to meet, establish a framework for vision impaired children and, where practicable, a means for joint commissioning of services.
Contact:
Laura Beaumont on 01708 456832 or email:
Website:
Vision 2020 UK Website
Mary Kitzinger Trust
Location:
National, though meetings are typically held in London
Target audience:
Educational professionals, researchers, psychologists, clinical practitioners and therapists.
Description:
The Mary Kitzinger Trust was established with the objective of advancing and furthering education, training and research in the psychology of children with visual and/or other developmental difficulties. We hold themed workshops once or twice a year. Details of past and forthcoming workshops can be found on our website.
Contact:
For further information, please email:
Website:
Mary Kitzinger Trust
Highland Education Vision Support Service (HEVSS)
Location:
Based in Inverness and supporting children with a VI across the whole of Highland Region.
Target audience of professionals:
QTVIs and Specialist Teaching Assistants (Instructors)
Description:
We are Specialists in visual impairment and assess children's functional vision, train them in the specialist curriculum (low vision devices, Braille, Pre Braille, touch typing, vision skills, carrying out environmental audits of school sites, advising and training teachers and teaching assistants in their teaching methods and in class support of children, advising on strategies to give children visual access to the curriculum etc.
Contact:
Stuart Brash (Co-ordinator) on 01463-226062 or email
SAVIE Scotland's professionals' VI forum
Location:
Edinburgh. We meet twice a year, usually in Edinburgh at the Scottish Sensory Centre and sometimes elsewhere in Scotland.
Target audience of professionals:
TVI's, mainly but also Teaching Assistants, Rehab Officers, so all professionals working with children with a visual impairment
Description:
The group meets regularly. Each meeting has a theme chosen by members and guest speakers are invited to attend for training and professional development sessions. There is also the opportunity for networking and peer support.
Contact:
For further information contact Alison Price:
Low Vision
Low Vision Services Group (VISION 2020 UK)
Location:
Online network. Occasional face to face meetings.
Target audience of professionals:
This group is aimed at anyone involved in providing low vision services, forming a committee to inform commissioning or establishing low vision services.
Description:
The aim of this Group is to support the establishment of low vision committees throughout Britain and to develop the commissioning of low vision services in those areas.
Contact:
Laura Beaumont on 01708 456832 or email:
Website:
Vision 2020 UK Website
Mobility
MISE (Mobility and Independence Specialists in Education)
Location:
National Network.
National conference is held twice a year, usually the first Wednesday in March and October. This currently takes place at Exhall Grange School in Coventry. Regional meetings take place in between. Regional Reps details available on website.
Target audience of professionals:
Habilitation Specialists & Mobility Officers specialising in children and young people.
Description:
The conferences provide ongoing professional development opportunities, updates in relevant developments in the field, support to members and active representation of the profession to other bodies. Members have access to a secure area on the website, giving contact details for other members to facilitate networking and support. A range of downloadable material and Conference proceedings are also available in the secure area.
Contact:
For further information contact Chair Fiona Broadley or Secretary Jill Underwood at: Mobility Service, Priestley Smith School, Beeches Road, Great Barr, Birmingham B42 2PY
Tel: 0121 325 3904 email:
Website:
Mise UK Network
Music
Music Teachers Support Group (MTSG)
Location:
Online Mailing list forum with AGM in London each year.
Target Audience of professionals:
For anyone working in the field of music education for children and young people with visual impairments, including those with complex needs. This includes both class teachers and private instrumental teachers.
Description:
The group meets in London for the MTSG AGM, usually held in October. All other communication is via a dedicated email list, email to subscribe. The annual meeting is used to discuss one or two current issues for music teachers, usually with specialist presenters, along with regular updates on other issues. Notes from the meetings are distributed through the email group.
Contact:
For further information contact the RNIB Music Advisory Service by emailing or call 020 7391 2273
Website:
RNIB Making Music - MTSG
Policy
SEC Policy Network
Location:
London
Target audience of professionals:
All individuals or organisations with an interest in protecting and promoting the interests of disabled children and children with special educational needs (SEN).
Description:
The Special Educational Consortium (SEC) is convened under the auspices of the Council for Disabled Children to protect and promote the interests of disabled children and children with special educational needs (SEN). The Policy Network acts as the wider stakeholder group for SEC, bringing the whole sector together to debate key policy issues and in particular bringing in local representation.
We are seeking a varied range of organisational and individual representation to ensure we get a wide range of views. Membership is open to all individuals and organisations who share our values and there is no charge for joining the network.
Contact:
For further information contact Louisa Imanene, SEC Administrator or 020 7843 1900
Website:
NCB - SEC Policy Network
Psychology
PsyVIC (Psychologists for Visually Impaired Children)
Location:
National (Meetings held in London)
Target audience of professionals:
Membership of the group is open to any educational psychologists working for local education authorities or in other areas, for example, charities, independent schools, and independent practice.
Description:
Seminars are held twice a year, usually in May and November. Each seminar runs for a full working day. The venue in recent years has been at RNIB (Royal National Institute for the Blind) Head Office, in central London. The purpose of the group is to:
· share information on all aspects of visual impairment (VI)
· create a national network of psychologists who have a common interest in VI
· support colleagues, who are often working very much on their own within their working organisations, on matters concerning VI