The role of the Qualified Teacher of Children and Young People with Vision Impairments (QTVI)

QTVIs carry out a central role in the education of children and young people with vision impairment from birth to 25. All of Stoke’s QTVIs work on a peripatetic basis, visiting children and young people (CYP) across a range of settings which may include their home, nursery, school or further education (FE) settings.

The role and responsibilities of a QTVI include:

• Receiving referrals from health, education settings, families and CYP with VI for specialist education support with clear referral routes and eligibility criteria
• Providing direct support to babies and young children with vision impairment and their parents/carers in the home. The QTVI will support with early development and learning through play which helps to promote parental confidence in how they can support their child’s development
• Assessing children and young people's functional vision in liaison with health professionals

Liaising with health professionals on the range of available low vision devices and how to use them

• Advising in mainstream and specialist early years, school and FE and HE settings on strategies for curriculum access and independent learning
• Guiding the work of other professionals, such as teachers, teaching assistants and therapists through training packages of support, ongoing specialist advice and direct teaching
• Teaching specialist skills, for example braille, the use of specialist equipment and ICT, and independent living and learning skills
• Promoting the curriculum framework for VI in all settings, ensuring that all CYP with VI are receiving an expanded core curriculum that ensures their individual needs are being addressed, supporting their preparation for adulthood
• Adapting and modifying teaching and learning resources in print, audio or tactile formats and training setting based staff to do this
• Advising on access arrangements for exams

Using strategies to help develop the visual and communication skills of children and young people with additional or complex needs

• Advising on and how appropriate communication strategies can enhance children and young people's functional vision
• Informally assessing learning environments for accessibility and health and safety, and reviewing access plans (in line with the Equality Act)
• Liaising and working with habilitation workers on mobility and independence skills

Promoting and delivering training on emotional wellbeing and social and communication skills.

• Providing a birth to 25 service, including effective transition arrangements at key stages from birth through awareness raising, training, transfer of information and ensuring specialist equipment is in place in the new setting
• Supporting students through transition into post 16/FE provision and into independent adulthood.

 

QTVIs hold a specialist mandatory qualification (MQ) completed at postgraduate level in addition to qualified teacher status. The MQ is based on a wide range of learning outcomes set out in a national specifications set by the Department for Education.