A patient at the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion, has come forward to offer their insight into the shocking failings in the hospital.
Peter Scobie has been attending the Eye Pavilion for 18 years, after being diagnosed with Lebers hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON).
He lost his sight just before the pandemic and has been blind for 4 years now.
Peter has revealed the absence of specialists in the hospital, as his specialist is a paediatric doctor from the sick kids, who only comes to the Pavilion on Tuesdays.
A further issue with the hospital comes down to geographic issues, as he has previously been sent to Newcastle for an appointment while the closest specialist is even further south in Cambridge.
He has also highlighted the absurd situation of those needing to receive sight loss assessments must go to the most inaccessible part of the building to receive the check.
Campaigners for a new Eye Pavilion, based at the Royal Infirmary were disappointed when the Scottish Government made no mention of the project in the budget late last year.
This is despite Michael Matheson telling campaigners that a decision would be made around the budget.
Health boards then discovered that there would be a two-year freeze on all capital spending and projects. They are also required to make 6.8% savings.
If this stays in place, there is no way that the Eye Pavilion will be built in the near future. This will force Peter, and other patients like him, to rely on services that the NHS themselves deemed not fit for purpose 10 years ago.
Commenting on Peter’s case, Labour Lothians MSP Sarah Boyack said: “Peter has helped to highlight the unacceptable condition of the current Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion.
“Patients should have facilities that support them through their difficulties, not hinder them further.
“Eye Pavilion staff do their best but without a new building and facilities they have one hand tied behind their back.
“The Scottish Government needs to listen to patients like Peter and realise that maintaining the current building is bad for patients, bad for NHS Lothian, and bad for Edinburgh.”
Sight Scotland added: “In Peter’s case, an absence of specialist doctors that are trained in his condition means it is difficult for him to get the correct treatment he needs.
“With the closest specialist for his condition based in Cambridge, a new eye hospital could be an opportunity to provide a training ground for ophthalmologists.
“The hospital’s inaccessible layout means that Peter and many others seeking essential services, such as collecting prescriptions and visiting patient support on the top floor, struggle to do so.
“More needs to be done to ensure accessible access to quality eye healthcare.”
Lothian Labour MSP, Sarah Boyack has written to Cabinet Secretary for Health, to ask him for clarity over when the decision will be made over the New Edinburgh Eye Pavilion.
In a November meeting organised by Ms Boyack between patients and Michael Matheson, the Cabinet Secretary assured patients that any decision over the Eye Pavilion would be made in December, in line with the budget.
However, a Scottish Government spokesperson has now claimed that the decision will not be made until the Spring.
Delaying this decision will force patients to rely on outdated services and face further cancelled appointments.
Campaigners were hoping that the current budget would provide long awaited clarity for whether the new facility would get the go-ahead.
Sarah Boyack MSP said: “Michael Matheson has fundamentally misled patients.
“To tell patients that the decision would be made in December, only for it to be pushed back to the Spring is a slap in the face for all those who need a new facility.
“Michael Matheson needs to confirm on the record when the capital spending will be announced and apologise for misleading patients.
“Every day the Scottish Government delays, the project becomes more expensive, and the current Eye Pavilion deteriorates further.
“If Michael Matheson does not provide clarity now, we are heading towards a crisis for eyecare services in Edinburgh.”
Craig Spalding, Chief Executive of Sight Scotland, added: “We’re concerned the Scottish Government’s plans to review this project again in the spring is too little too late.
“It’s now 10 years on since the current hospital was declared unfit for purpose and by delaying the decision again is ignoring the critical need of patients and staff attending the current hospital.
“As time goes on, the building deteriorates further and the risk to people’s safety increases. People with visual impairment and eye conditions deserve better.”
Sight Scotland, and Sight Scotland Veterans, have slammed a busy Edinburgh junction describing it as hazardous and inaccessible for blind and partially sighted people.
The junction between Telford Road, Hillhouse Road and Strachan Road is one of the busiest in the capital, but the pedestrian crossing facilities are not fit for purpose.
Representatives from both sight loss charities recently met with the city of Edinburgh Council to discuss this junction and were astonished to find out that it had been REMOVED (demoted) from the Council’s list of upgrades.
Caroline Hedley, a Rehabilitation and Mobility Worker with Sight Scotland, explains: “This junction poses a major risk to anybody with visual impairment, and we are extremely worried that it will take a serious accident before any action is taken.
“Due to the complicated layout of the crossings, the poor pedestrian crossing facilities and the heavy fast-moving traffic, it is dangerous and inaccessible to most blind and partially sighted people.
“The pedestrian crossings do not have audible signals or revolving cones, and some are in need of basic repair. Also, there are few protective barriers at this junction which makes me as a sighted person feel very vulnerable, so I can’t imagine how someone with vision impairment would feel. Strachan Road simply has no pedestrian crossing facility at all.
“As part of my job, I help blind and partially sighted people with their mobility, both indoor and out. We help them plan routes when going out, looking at hazards, and trying to ensure they know how to navigate the safest way to go if they have a medial appointment, for example, or just want to go to the shops.
“The biggest priority with a mobility assessment is safety. I have clients living close to this junction and I need to explain to them that the safest way to cross these roads is with sighted assistance, and this is absolutely essential for people who cannot see the red and green man.
“What makes matters worse is that Blackhall Medical Centre is located on the Hillhouse Road side of the junction.”
Craig Spalding, Chief Executive of Sight Scotland, and Sight Scotland Veterans, adds: “We are calling on the city of Edinburgh Council to upgrade this junction now before a serious accident occurs.
“How this junction has been taken off the upgrades list is beyond me; it is highly dangerous if not impossible for blind and partially sighted people to cross these roads independently.
“Poor crossing facilities like these could mean a person is more likely to stay at home, reducing their opportunity to move around in their home area. When a person’s mobility is impacted in this way, there is a knock-on effect both physically and mentally.”
Local Inverleith Councillor Hal Osler comments: “When designing public spaces we need to think about the safety and accessibility for those most at risk; if we do this, it benefits us all.
“Unfortunately in Edinburgh we have too many junctions and crossings where the safety and accessibility of pedestrians was not considered as a design priority. It’s utterly shameful that this junction was removed from the list of upgrades and as a councillor I am appalled at the lack of thought for our most vulnerable pedestrians.
“If we truly believe in the importance of safe active travel, and that pedestrians are top of the transport hierarchy, this needs to change.”
Sight Scotland, and Sight Scotland Veterans, are asking people to join their campaign to get the city of Edinburgh Council to upgrade the crossing at Strachan Road, Hillhouse Road and Telford Road in Edinburgh.
National charity Sight Scotland and property developer, S Harrison Developments, have jointly submitted a planning application to redevelop the site of the charity’s former HQ on Gillespie Crescent in Edinburgh, into student homes.
The funds released by the sale of the site will enable Sight Scotland, a charity dedicated to meeting the challenges of visual impairment, to further expand its reach, and support even more people living with sight loss within existing services such as the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh. It will also provide future services for the city as well as expanding its ability to fund medical research to tackle the root causes of sight loss.
Sight Scotland occupied the building for nearly a century and continue to repair and maintain it, despite vacating the building early in 2021 as it was no longer fit for purpose prior to taking the decision to sell it.
Staff were relocated to modern, open plan offices in Gorgie, suited to current working requirements, allowing them to work alongside the Scottish Braille Press Service.
Proposals include demolition of the existing vacant building and erection of purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) and associated amenity space, landscaping and infrastructure. A total of 145 bedrooms are proposed, with additional amenities including a cinema/multimedia room and gym. There will 100% cycle parking provision.
The development makes best use of the site and will deliver a high quality, well-designed, sustainable development, including green roofs, solar panels, air source heat pumps (ASHP), a rain garden and permeable paving.
A shared, publicly accessible amenity green space, will offer an area in front of the building for people to walk, sit and rest and provides the opportunity for social interaction of different groups within the community. The existing trees will also be retained.
Development will serve to address a well-recognised shortfall in student accommodation in the city, with a student homelessness crisis recognised by the Council in June 2023.
Between 2016/17 and 2021/22, student numbers in the city have increased by over 25%, from 53,845 to 67,355. Included in this, the University of Edinburgh saw numbers increase by 27% and Napier University by 29% over this period.1
Demand for student accommodation greatly outstrips supply, and places significant pressure on traditional family housing stock, with students occupying homes that would in many cases have previously been occupied by families.
The delivery of PBSA has the potential to free up such housing, or at the minimum provide accommodation for students who would have gone into these homes. This approach is supported by the Council’s planning guidance.
A spokesperson for S Harrison Developments commented: “We are in a housing crisis, with a need for all types of housing.
“Demand for student accommodation greatly outstrips supply, and this is placing significant pressure on traditional family housing stock, with students occupying homes that would in many cases have previously been occupied by families.
“This proposed development on a brownfield site, if approved, will respond to this increasing demand, housing students in a central location with easy access by active travel and public transport to universities and delivering significant investment into the local community.”
Davina Shiell, Director of Marketing, Communications and Engagement for Sight Scotland said: “The funds released by the sale of the site, if consented, will enable us to further expand our reach, and support even more people living with visual impairments within existing services such as the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh.
“It will also allow us to provide new future services for the city, as well as expanding our ability to fund medical research to tackle the root causes of sight loss.”
Charity launches new Customer Service Guide for bars and restaurants during National Braille Week
Sight Scotland has joined forces with Swanston Brasserie in Edinburgh to urge more restaurants and venues to ‘open their doors’ to the vision impaired.
The charity has produced a free Customer Service guide aimed at the hospitality industry, which gives simple advice and tips on what venues can do to improve the visitor experience for the vision impaired.
The new Sight Scotland campaign has been inspired by Swanston Brasserie, situated about five miles south of Edinburgh City Centre, which has become one of the first restaurants in Scotland to place accessibility for the visionary impaired at the top of its priority list.
The pioneering Edinburgh eatery has made changes to its layout, ensuring that a person with vision impairment is made to feel as welcome and comfortable as possible from the moment they step in the front door to the moment they leave. Swanston has assessed all its signage, has introduced braille and large print menus, has an audio menu for its website and has produced its own printed VI training guide for all its staff to follow.
The restaurant has also created an accessibility tab on its website, which shows users exactly what to expect when they arrive, with a step by step walk through of the venue, ensuring there are no unexpected surprises on arrival.
Swanston enlisted the help of Marie O’Donnell, who works for Sight Scotland as a rehabilitation and mobility officer, who has been blind since birth, to give advice on what accessibility changes were needed, and to assist with staff training so they know exactly how to welcome and serve a person with vision impairment.
Sam Lockhart, who is Marketing Manager at Swanston Brasserie, comments: “I am very passionate about this due to my Great Grandfather who was blind, he lived until he was 102 and there was literally nothing he could not do. We want to improve the visitor experience for everyone, and make people with vision impairment, or any disability, feel as welcome and comfortable as possible.
“As a society we need to work on education, and improve our understanding that everyone is different, but these differences should not prevent anyone from doing things they enjoy. I very much believe that we should try and give 100% to everyone.
“Unfortunately, most people with a VI have anxiety; they don’t like new places and they don’t like surprises. This is why it is so important for them to know a venue is accessible and that the staff are friendly and aware of what assistance they may require. People with a VI spend their life planning, so if they find a restaurant or venue which suits their needs, and where they are well looked after, it stands to reason that they will return.
“Marie O’Donnell from Sight Scotland was a great help to us and gave us lots of advice on what people with a VI require and what changes we needed to make. There was so much she explained to us that you just wouldn’t think about, it really was quite an eye opener!
“Marie also helped train our staff and helped us with our new VI training guide. As a business we are determined to do everything we can to be as inclusive as possible and we want to help show everyone that just because you have vision impairment that life does not need to stop.”
Sam adds: “I want to stress that this has not been a financial burden and most of the changes we have made are small and easy to implement.
“I would fully recommend that other restaurants and venues take advantage of the Sight Scotland Customer Service guide and together we can all open our doors to the vision impaired.”
Gillian McDonald, Director of Operations at Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans, adds: “We are really hoping more restaurants and venues follow Swanston’s Brasserie’s lead and open their doors to the vision impaired.
“Small, easy changes can make such a huge difference to someone with a VI, and this is why we are launching our restaurant accessibility campaign.”
National Braille Week was launched by Sight Scotland to raise awareness of Braille. It takes place during the second week of October every year to shine a spotlight on the tactile writing system used by people who are visually impaired.
For more information or to request a copy of Sight Scotland’s Customer Service Guide on accessibility for restaurants and venues please visit: sightscotland.org.uk
A blind woman footballer from Edinburgh was left traumatised after she feared falling in front of a speeding train when rail staff never showed up to help her.
Samantha Gough – who plays blind football for England despite being a Scot – booked assistance before starting her journey at Edinburgh Waverley, but when she got to Doncaster station en-route to a competition, no-one was there to help.
The station also did not have tactile paving – a system of textured ground surface indicators on platforms to assist the visually impaired.
Samantha, 20, from Lasswade, (pictured, in glasses) who attended the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh, said: “It was a nightmare, a really horrendous situation to be in. People have died falling on the tracks before and I thought it was about to happen to me.
“I was in full panic mode and there was not one person there to help despite me booking assistance before I set out. I waited for about five minutes and then really began to panic. I had no idea how close I was to the platform edge as there was no tactile paving.
“Fast trains were screaming past with the wind hitting me and despite screaming on the platform for help, no one heard. I called my mum at home in Scotland and she had to phone the police. A few trains later, a guard got off and asked if I was ok and took me to station staff. They said my assistance request was not on the system but I had been told at Edinburgh that staff were phoning Doncaster to inform them that I was on the way.”
The news comes as train operators are preparing to cut 2,000 staff in line with plans to close almost every train station ticket office in Britain.
Rail companies have already outlined proposals to make thousands of job cuts by October – even though the UK government is yet to approve the planned ticket office closures.
Plans to close 974 out of 1,007 railway station ticket offices were first announced by industry body Railway Delivery Group in July. Scotland’s busiest station Glasgow Central, which serves 15.3 million passengers each year, could also lose its ticket office.
EDINBURGH, UK – 21st June 2022: Royal Blind School pupils and families take part in a fun filled Fiesta Day at the school. (Photograph: MAVERICK PHOTO AGENCY)
Samantha added: “I was travelling on to an event in Conisbrough. I was just left outside Doncaster station in a distressed state and had to wait for someone to come and get me from Conisbrough.
“It is a disgrace and has really knocked my confidence. It has really made me think twice about going anywhere without support.”
Samantha has been visually impaired from birth due to cerebral visual impairment (CVI) – a condition which means the eyes are healthy but the brain’s visual pathways do not work, resulting in sight loss.
She competes in a number of sports and plays for the England women’s blind football side as Scotland does not have a team in the sport.
Last year, Samantha, who is severely sight impaired, competed in the European Para Youth Games and was the only Scot representing her country at goalball. She scooped bronze with Team. The para sport consists of three players on each side of the court, with 18 metres wide goals at either end. Players use a blue ball with bells in it which is thrown by hand and never kicked.
Samantha said: “We complained about this situation and we were offered two first class tickets as compensation. But I don’t want to go near their trains after my experience so it completely misses the point.
“This is the most extreme situation I have faced on the train. Sports people need to use the rail network all the time to get to training and events. There is a real issue here about accessibility and fairness. It really is a disgrace.”
Midlothian MP Owen Thompson has written to LNER demanding action. He said: “I was extremely concerned to hear about this constituent’s traumatic experiences. It is simply unacceptable. I find it hard to comprehend how something like this can happen in this country in the 21st century.
“There is a real issue about accessibility, equality and fairness here. Blind and partially sighted people should be able to travel safely and comfortably at all times. I wrote to LNER a couple of weeks ago and have still to receive a response. I am concerned that tactile paving is not an essential at every station in the UK.
“I do not think that the Secretary of State for Transport’s statement that tactile paving will appear in all mainline railway stations in Britain by the end of 2025 at the latest is good enough. Samantha has my full support. We have already met with Samantha and her mum to hear their concerns and I will stay in touch as we battle to get this resolved.”
Craig Spalding, chief executive of Sight Scotland, said: “We’re deeply concerned at Sam’s experience and the dangerous situation she was left in.
“Being left without any assistance and on a platform with no tactile paving highlights just how inaccessible travelling can be for people with visual impairments. Sadly, train journeys like this are not uncommon for blind and partially sighted people.
“We’ve heard first hand of other cases where people have waited for assistance to arrive and nobody turn up. This has a knock-on effect on someone’s confidence to travel independently and being able to safely get from A to B.
“Urgent action is needed now to ensure all train stations have tactile paving, in person ticket booths and assistance to ensure rail travel is accessible for all.”
Sight Scotland, Sight Scotland Veterans and Visibility Scotland are delighted to announce that, in partnership with the Thomas Pocklington Trust, they are launching new Sight Loss Councils in Scotland.
Sight Loss Councils (SLCs), funded by Thomas Pocklington Trust, are led by blind and partially sighted people who use lived experience to tackle local and national issues to improve the accessibility of services.
Each SLC is made up of a small group of blind and partially sighted volunteers who meet monthly to discuss accessibility issues and plan projects in their regions. These priorities include accessible transport and streets so everyone can travel independently and safely.
They also work to increase the accessibility of healthcare, shopping, museums and galleries, and sports and leisure facilities, depending on the needs of the local area.
There are currently 20 SLCs across England, but this is the first time SLCs will exist in Scotland. The charities will begin recruiting volunteers, firstly across the Central Belt, in 2024.
Emma Hughes, Director of Services at Thomas Pocklington Trust, said: “I’m delighted to announce that Thomas Pocklington Trust will be working with Sight Scotland, Sight Scotland Veterans and Visibility Scotland to deliver Sight Loss Councils across Scotland.
“Our Sight Loss Councils, led by blind and partially sighted volunteers, are a tried and tested model designed to create positive change for others.
“This partnership builds on the success of Sight Loss Councils in England to amplify the voice of more blind and partially sighted people across Scotland. We look forward to Scottish Sight Loss Councils launching in the near future.”
Craig Spalding, Chief Executive, Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans, adds: “I am delighted that Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans, in partnership with Visibility Scotland and Thomas Pocklington Trust are bringing Sight Loss Councils to Scotland.
“It is a fantastic opportunity to amplify the voice of those with lived experience in Scotland, making vision loss the priority it needs to be in Scotland.”
Laura Walker, Visibility Scotland’s CEO: “Sight Loss Councils in Scotland is an exciting new opportunity to provide a safe platform for people’s voices to be shared, listened to and acted upon.
“Visibility Scotland is thrilled to be part of the consortium of organisations that will launch and deliver this new initiative.”
Sight Scotland, Scotland’s largest sight loss organisation, is appealing for more volunteer befrienders to help battle loneliness and isolation. The charity says that a regular visit to a vulnerable person can be life changing.
A volunteer befriender is someone who provides trained support and companionship to a lonely, or emotionally distressed, person. Befriending is proven to battle seclusion and self-isolation while increasing self-esteem and confidence.
Tamas Danyi-Nagy, a 31-year-old Hungarian who moved to Scotland eight years ago, is a Sight Scotland befriender. Tam visits Freda Steel, 67, from Musselburgh, every week and says the friendship they have built up has been life changing for both of them.
He explains: “Loneliness affects us all, whether that is directly or through someone close to us. Befriending offers supportive, reliable relationships, through volunteers to people who would otherwise be socially isolated. Befriending often provides people with a new direction in life and can unlock a range of activities that a person would struggle to do on their own.
“I visit Freda every Tuesday and help her with whatever she needs to do. Whether that’s a coffee and a chat, going shopping, or going for a walk. When I was a teenager, I had a friend who was blind, we were quite close, and I used to help him a lot. I found this very inspiring and felt I had a real instinct for helping, so I decided I wanted to help others in a similar way if I could.
“I started at the beginning of January 2023 and have found it just so rewarding. Freda and I have built up a strong friendship and we both get a lot out of the experience; I find it very humbling. I know I am really helping her, but in many ways, she is helping me just as much.
“When I first started it was like meeting anyone new, it was a little awkward as we were both trying to get to know each other. But we soon started to click, and Freda could see I was there to try and help her, and gradually she started to open up and tell me about what help she needed, and what struggles she was having. We had to build up trust with each other and it has now developed into a real friendship, where we both look forward to spending time in each other’s company.
“I try to explain everything to her when we are together, whether that is in the house, at a café, or out for a walk. She is a real inspiration, and so knowledgeable on many subjects. Freda is about the same age as my Mum, so I feel a real connection. She has made me appreciate everything I have and has made me listen to the beauty we hear every day around us.
“It is amazing to see how Freda’s life has changed through the befriending programme, she has become so much more confident and outgoing. During Covid, Freda was stuck in her house with no one to talk to, or help her, and this really affected her mental health. The difference I have seen in Freda since I started has been incredible, she has become so much chattier with me, and with others when we are out, I could see her confidence returning and growing week by week.
“She used to get all her food delivered, but now she looks forward to going out to local her local butcher for example, or local grocer. They all know her and treat her like a long-lost friend, it is so nice to see, and you can tell she is really enjoying it. We meet up every Tuesday and every week she is making more plans and has more appointments. I am just so happy I could help her.”
Tam adds: “If anyone is considering becoming a volunteer befriender my advice would be just go for it, it really is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. You are making such a difference to a person’s life; it is incredible to have the ability to do this for someone.”
James Whyte, Volunteer Development Manager for Sight Scotland comments: “Befriending is often transformational to a person with sight loss and can open a whole new world to someone who lives alone.
“We are currently looking for more volunteers like Tam, who are willing to give up their time to help others. Just doing the simplest things like having a coffee and a chat can make such a difference to someone who is isolated and lonely. A regular visit can be quite literally life changing.”
If you are interested in becoming a Sight Scotland Befriender or finding out about the many other ways you can volunteer with the charity, please visit:
The Scottish Conservative Party leader, Douglas Ross MP MSP, has praised Sight Scotland Veterans for all the outstanding help and support it provides to veterans living with sight loss across the country.
Douglas Ross, MP for Moray and MSP for Highlands and Islands, recently visited Sight Scotland Veterans’ Hawkhead Centre in Paisley to see first-hand the great help and support the charity provides.
He was joined on the visit by local Scottish Conservative MSP for West Scotland Russell Findlay. Sight Scotland Veterans provides free support to armed forces veterans affected by sight loss throughout Scotland to help them regain confidence, restore independence, and make new connections.
During his visit, Douglas Ross was given a tour of the Hawkhead Centre and met many of the staff and volunteers who work there. He also spent time and chatted with some of the veterans the charity helps, discussing the issues they have and what support they require.
Scottish Conservative Leader Douglas Ross said: “I was delighted to visit Hawkhead Centre in Paisley and learn more about the fantastic work they are doing to support veterans.
“It was truly inspiring to meet many of veterans and hear directly from them about how Sight Scotland is helping them cope with feelings of isolation and loneliness. Many of those being supported at the Hawkhead Centre have overcome many challenges thanks to Sight Scotland and I applaud them for bettering the lives of many.”
Scottish Conservative West Scotland MSP Russell Findlay said: “We must always go the extra mile to support our veterans and those at the Hawkhead Centre in Paisley doing exactly that by empowering veterans to live as independently as possible.
“The spirit of comradeship is uplifting and it’s fantastic to see such a wide range of activities. It was great to join Douglas Ross at the centre and I hope to return soon for another chat with the incredible veterans.”
Davina Shiell, Director of Communications at Sight Scotland, comments: “We were delighted to welcome Douglas Ross MSP to our Hawkhead Centre in Paisley.
“As a society we need to look after our vulnerable veterans and Sight Scotland Veterans plays such an important role in combatting social isolation, seclusion, and loneliness.
“We are hoping that having such a high-profile visitor to one of our centres can shine a brighter spotlight on the charity and all great things it does, plus provide a platform to discuss many of the issues facing the vision impaired community, such as increased ophthalmology waiting times, public transport cuts and the impact of the cost-of-living crisis.
“In simple terms, people living with sight loss across Scotland need more help.”
Sight Scotland Veterans provides support to all veterans in Scotland who are experiencing changes to their sight.
The Hawkhead Centre in Renfrewshire is an activity hub for ex-servicemen and women with sight loss. It’s a warm, welcoming place that brings veterans together. With a variety of activities and outings, the activity hub offers the means and support to adapt to life with sight loss and try new things.
Many veterans who attend the centre say the things they do there and the connections they have made have transformed their lives.
For more information on Sight Scotland Veterans please visit
Calls for action which are presented in the CFVI report, published today, include:
recognised and referenced in Scotland Additional Support for Learning policies.
embedded in local authority service delivery frameworks.
followed by all educational settings supporting children and young people with vision impairment and their families, in partnership with vision impairment specialists.
To be embedded within competence frameworks for teachers of children with vision impairment and habilitation specialists across the UK.
The CFVI supports children and young people (CYP) with vision impairment (VI) to access an appropriate and equitable education. It ensures they are actively taught a range of independent learning, mobility, everyday living, and social communication skills.
Currently, access to these learning areas and teaching specialists is variable and differences in provision across local authorities mean many young people are missing out. The report details the significant consequences for children and young people which are evident in attainment and employment gaps.
Samantha Gough, 18, of Lasswade, Midlothian has been visually impaired from birth due cerebral visual impairment (CVI). For the last year, Samantha, who is now severely sight impaired, has had a flexible placement with Sight Scotland’s Royal Blind School in Edinburgh.
Her schooling is split between attendance at her mainstream school and the Royal Blind School, where she receives teaching and support from the Royal Blind School’s specialist team, including Qualified Teachers of Children and Young People with Vision Impairment (QTVIs) and habilitation specialists.
Samantha said: “My sight started to get worse in 2014. As my sight has deteriorated over time, I’ve had to relearn how to live. I needed to do mobility training to find my way around the world again.
“At the Royal Blind School, I’m learning how to use braille, which I love because I had lost the ability to read and write. I’m also learning independent living skills, things like cooking skills and learning how to go to the shops and advocate for myself by saying what support I need.
“I am just learning how to use the bus independently, which will hopefully progress to train travel. There are still struggles and things I’ll always need help with, but it’s about learning coping strategies and how I can do things on my own. I’ve been here for a year, and it’s been life changing. I think giving pupils with vision impairment the opportunity to have this specialist support is the best thing.”
Davina Shiell, Director of Communications at Sight Scotland, said: “We know first-hand just how important specialist education is for children and young people who are blind or partially sighted.
“With the number of pupils in Scotland with a vision impairment close to reaching 5,000, blind and partially sighted children and young people must have full access to their education and for this to be achieved it is crucial we provide them with the additional specialist VI support they require to learn, develop and live independently.
“The title of the report says it all, ‘Unlocking Education For All’, yet access to specialist supports is fragmented across Scotland. That’s why we’re calling on the Scottish Government to embed the framework into ASN policies so that children and young people with a visual impairment aren’t left behind.”
Caireen Sutherland, Head of Education and CYPF at RNIB, said: “We need to work together to address where there are inequities in education provision and support available for CYP with VI.
“The CFVI shares the ambition of the proposed national standards and as it is grounded in both research and practice, it provides the evidence base on how to support CYP with VI.”
The report is the result from partnership working with vision impairment organisations across the UK, including the Vision Impairment Centre for Teaching and Research (VICTAR) at the University of Birmingham, the professional association for the Vision Impairment Education Workforce (VIEW) and Thomas Pocklington Trust (TPT), who undertook a review of special educational needs and Additional Support Needs (ASN) across the UK.
For more information about the CFVI, please visit the RNIB website.
