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Last Updated - February 5, 2025

Resources to support Early Years – Multi-Sensory Impairment (MSI)

Sense offers free support helps children who are deafblind or who have complex disabilities access education, playgroups and holidays, so they have the same life experiences as everyone else.

Information and advice – Sense

Sensory – Sensory stories and Inclusive play – Family Hub

Sense Play Toolkits – Family Hub

Sensory Play – Family Hub

play-toolkits-making-play-inclusive-a-toolkit-for-play-settings.pdf

Tactile signing will benefit children with multi-sensory needs:

Learn tactile signing | Sign language for deaf blind (ndcs.org.uk)

Deafblind Manual is a way to communicate using touch only, not sight or speech. Words and sentences are spelt onto your hand using individual letter signs. Deafblind Manual – Sense

RNIB | Homepage of the Royal National Institute of Blind People

A range of resources and links can be found to support children with MSI: Sensory and Physical – Family Hub (torbayfamilyhub.org.uk)

Habilitation Assessment and Support for Visually Impaired Children: Qualified Habilitation Specialist who works with children and young people (0-18 years) with a visual impairment. They can help your child develop a broad range of skills, including early years development, independent life skills and moving around (orientation & mobility). They assess all of your child’s needs and deliver a holistic program to cater to them. They will often work closely with other professionals, as well as you as the parents, to ensure your child receives the right support across the board. They offer support in the home, nursery, school, college and in the local community and they will often work closely with your child’s QTVI to support their key transitions into and through education.

Referrals for a Habilitation assessment for a child living in Torbay are made via a referral to Torbay’s Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) for the Children with Disability (CWD) Team to make arrangements with Guide Dogs with whom Torbay has a contract for Habilitation assessments and support.

Portage is a home teaching service for families with pre-school children who have Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND). The success and popularity of Portage is based on the premise that it promotes parents/carers as the key figures in the development of their child Torbay Portage Service – Family Hub (torbayfamilyhub.org.uk)

Occupational Therapy – Children and Family Health.

Children’s physiotherapy – Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust.

Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions

View and/or download the Torbay Early Years Toolkit here: Torbay Early Years Graduated Approach Toolkit – Family Hub

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