Here are some examples of RNIB's direct involvement in local authority service reorganisations in recent months. Some of these have reached a successful conclusion while others are still ongoing.
Teesside
A local parent made contact with Action for Blind People as her child was at risk of being affected by proposed changes to services for blind and partially sighted children across Teesside. There were worries that specialist teaching posts may be lost and levels of support for children's learning cut back.
In the context of ongoing financial pressures, services for children with sight loss were reviewed last year. RNIB and local parents fed their views into the process, and the councils involved of Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Stockton on Tees and Redcar and Cleveland have now confirmed they will be retaining the much valued services which they currently provide.
Middlesbrough is currently the council to provide the services on behalf of the other councils, but in future they will commission the Head Teacher of Sunnyside School in Middlesbrough to manage elements of the service. Sunnyside has a base for children with visual impairments and it is expected that there will be greater coordination of provision as a result. The existing number of teachers supporting children in schools across the area will be retained.
Kirklees
RNIB was alerted in January to plans to reorganise the sensory support service in Kirklees, as a result of which VI staff would be located and managed by resourced schools and not as part of a central local authority service. Although this proposal had some merits it also carried the risk that staff could lose the flexibility to move across schools and support children in different areas. There was also a concern that they might be deployed into other roles within the host school. The professional leadership of the VI team under the proposed new structure was also unclear.
The RNIB children's team worked with the regional campaigns officer to submit a response to the proposals, drawing both on our knowledge of support service structures in other areas and the views of local parents. In March we heard that the council had revised its proposals so that VI team staff would keep their central contracts and not be employed by a school.
The VI team leader wrote to say: "We are delighted with this news. At the meeting to explain these changes it was acknowledged that the RNIB had provided a very powerful document. We value your contributions and support."
Salford
RNIB has been involved since January in a consultation around a proposed reorganisation of the sensory support service in Salford. NDCS (National Deaf Children's Society) has been very active in lobbying the council to set up a commission to explore the proposed changes and RNIB gave evidence at an open meeting of the commission in May. The key message of our submission was that councils have to identify their population of children with visual impairment accurately and assess their needs appropriately before deciding the size and shape of the specialist service that is required to meet these needs. RNIB expects to be consulted on any revised proposals arising from the consultation process.
Telford/Shropshire
Telford and Wrekin LA announced plans to reorganise the sensory service provided jointly for their own authority and Shropshire in early 2012. This proposed a reduction in the number of specialist teachers of VI and HI children. One outcome of the restructure is that the VI team leader post was made redundant and the team has lost its only early years specialist. RNIB has written to express grave concern at these developments and we are due to hold a meeting with the chief executive of Children's Services later in June.