Left out of learning
Children and young people with vision impairment require a high level of specialist provision to learn on equal terms with sighted children.
Having the right support in place can remove the barriers to learning and enable them to develop the specialist skills they need to succeed in education and beyond.
Yet, many underfunded local authorities have been freezing or cutting funding for vision impairment services, for years. And specialist education service provision varies significantly across local authorities – creating a “postcode lottery” that must be addressed.
Still left out of learning: FOI 2021 Report
RNIB runs an annual survey of local authorities across England. This report summarises findings from the most recent Freedom of Information (FOI) survey in 2021.
- 39 per cent of local authorities in England have seen their vision impairment (VI) education service budgets cut or frozen over the last year.
- One in eight children and young people with VI who require habilitation support are on a waiting list to be assessed.
- Children and young people with VI face a postcode lottery for the specialist support they need to participate in education and access all the opportunities childhood has to offer.
Whilst this research has identified pockets of good practice, overall, the findings show a system of specialist provision under significant pressure.
Read the briefing
Interactive map of services
Use our interactive map to find out what is happening with service provision for children and young people with vision impairment in your local area. Just click on the image and it will take you to the interactive map. Teaching provision shows the number of fully qualified teachers for vision impairment.
Alternatively, you can read the map data in an accessible Word version.
Need help using the interactive map, read the guide.
Freedom of Information series publications
You can find a series of reports based on the annual RNIB Freedom of Information survey into education service provision for children and young people with vision impairment. Reports date back to 2008 although survey content each year may vary. Since 2013, the FOI has only been conducted in England.
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