Scottish Sensory Centre

Scottish Sensory Centre evaluation of educational provision for children and young people with sensory impairment in Scotland

As a National Centre the Scottish Sensory Centre (SSC) was requested by the Scottish Government to identify the age, stage and type of provision offered to children and young people with sensory impairment in Scotland.

The main aim of the project is to ensure that guidance and support structures introduced at national level are understood and applied consistently and coherently by everyone involved in the education of sensory impaired children in Scotland. The project commenced in August 2011 and will be completed in March 2012,

The research consists of two parts:

1. investigate the numbers of children and young people (3-18) attending Scottish Schools, including publicly funded placements at grant aided special schools and babies and young children (0-3) who are visually impaired, deaf or deafblind and, where possible, break this down by local authority areas.

2. determine if teachers working wholly or mainly with sensory impaired pupils in the above settings have the appropriate competences that are required to work with these children as specified in the Scottish Government guidelines.

The SSC has commissioned The Centre for Research of Education Inclusion and Diversity (CREID) to advise and assist the SSC to complete this work.

The above team have already spoken to the Forum for Heads of Service and to SAVIE to gain a clearer understanding of any challenges or issues that may exist that relate to this project. Questionnaires will be circulated towards the end of October to Heads of Sensory Services and teachers working with these children.