Local Authority VI service cuts

In the current economic climate, we are aware that a number of public sector cuts are being made to services including the visual impairment sector and that these are having or could have a significant effect on education provision for blind and partially sighted children and young people.

In light of this we have put together the Local Authority (LA) Visual Impairment (VI) Service Cuts pages which offer a variety of resources to help provide evidence and arguments to protect necessary levels of support for blind and partially sighted children and young people.

We have put together this information along with our campaigning against cuts section to guide parents and professionals who wish to respond to proposed reductions or reorganisations of provision for blind and partially sighted children.

Protecting specialist services for children with vision impairment

RNIB have produced a new information leaflet to ensure that local authority officers understand the importance of maintaining specialist education services for children with vision impairment at a time when budgets are subject to spending constraints. It also looks at the legal implications of making any changes.

Download your copy below:

RNIB would be pleased to advise local authorities on the issues raised in this document.

LA VI service cuts resources

The LA cuts resources section provides useful information to help you respond to the proposed reduction and reorganisation of services for blind and partially sighted children. The information is grouped into the five key areas:

Campaigning against cuts

Find advice and guidance on campaigning approaches and strategies to help you campaign against cuts in your local area and read our VI service cuts: casestudies detailing RNIB's direct involvement in local authority service reorganisations in recent months.

Find out the contact details of your RNIB Regional Campaigns Officer for further support.

Share your experience

Let us know whats happening in your Local Authority and share your experiences with us to help us continue to provide support and resources for VI services by emailing cypf@rnib.org.uk

Latest national surveys of VI services

RNIB survey of VI services in England and Wales 2012: report for England

This page contains the RNIB survey of VI services in England and Wales 2012: report for England, as well as background.

RNIB survey of VI services in England and Wales 2012: Report for Wales

RNIB survey of VI services in England and Wales 2012: Report for Wales. You can also find the background, key findings and research briefing here.

Contact: cypf@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 26 February 2013

Make a donation

Right now we can only reach one in three of the people who need our help most.

Please make a donation and help us support more blind and partially sighted people.

Cuts watch

How are spending cuts affecting you? We want to keep track of what's happening, to make sure blind and partially sighted people aren't getting a raw deal.

Campaigning against cuts

RNIB offer general guidance on putting together a response to changes that local authorities are proposing to make to VI services.