The Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC) offers a range of free services for vision impaired children and young people, and their families.
RSBC Live Life, Go Further Programme
The RSBC Live Life Go Further programme includes a wide range of fun activities for vision impaired young people aged 8-25 that are delivered across England and Wales, all of which contribute to reducing isolation, building friendship groups, and learning new skills. Activities run throughout the year, with additional sessions during school holiday periods.
We work in partnership with local organisations across the country to help everyone find something that interests them in their area. Sessions are delivered face-to-face and online.
We’re always adding new activities to our Live Life Go Further programme but here are some recent examples:
- Health and Wellbeing activities including sports, fitness workouts, cookery and healthy living workshops
- Social and Independence activities including Supper Squad, Audiobook club and Sisterhood (for young women and girls)
- Creative and music sessions
- Assistive Technology (for both Parents and Young People) and gaming sessions
RSBC Families First
RSBC offers emotional and practical support for any family with a vision impaired child between the ages of 0-25.
A diagnosis of vision impairment can be challenging for the whole family. The implications can be varied and significant, and many families may want some support to help them manage.
RSBC Families First is here to help. We have an experienced team of Family Practitioners across England and Wales who offer support based on each family’s needs.
Support can be accessed whenever it is needed but may be particularly useful around times of change. These might include at the point of diagnosis, deterioration of vision, changing schools, changes within the family, or managing the transition into adulthood. RSBC Family Practitioners can provide support over the phone or internet, in your home, at school or a convenient location.
RSBC Dorton College of Further Education
RSBC Dorton College offers a day provision for vision impaired students (16-25).
Based in the London Borough of Bromley, we promote best-in-class, inclusive education and learning at all levels. Students follow an individual programme of academic learning and skills development, including support from a QTVI and help with specialist technology.
We work closely with a range of partners, from both mainstream and specialist educational settings, to ensure that students get the very best from their time with us. We have ‘hybrid’ partnership arrangements with local General Further Education Colleges, which further increases the range and opportunities our students have access to.
RSBC Information and Advice Service
We understand that it’s not always easy to access the extra help that is available through benefits, grants and concessions.
We offer free information, guidance, and support for parents/guardians of vision impaired children (aged 0-25) or vision impaired young adults aged 16-25.
We can advise on:
- Welfare Benefits including Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Personal Independence payment (PIP)
- Grants
- Transport and Travel concessions including Freedom Pass, Blue Badge and Motability applications
- Accessing other RSBC services
We can also offer confidential, practical support for:
- Form filling
- Written and online applications
- Mandatory reconsideration and appeals.
Please note RSBC Information and Advice Service does not provide housing advice. If you need housing advice, please contact www.shelter.org.uk or your local housing advice centre.
RSBC Employment programme
We support vision impaired young people (16-25) to develop the confidence and skills to achieve their employment aims.
Our employment programme prepares young people for the job-hunting process through CV and application writing, mock interviews, technology training, work experience and meeting potential employers.
Once we have helped someone secure work, RSBC continues to offer support and mentoring for both the young person and the employer for six months.
We also advise on training, further education and self-employment.
RSBC are here to support you and your family if you have a blind or partially sighted child aged 0-25.
We believe that children and young people need a strong family to be able to grow and flourish and sometimes when you receive a diagnosis that your child has sight loss, you, your child, and your family might need some extra support.
From the moment you receive a diagnosis that your child has sight loss, if there is a change in vision, if your child or family are going through some changes that are difficult to manage or any other time when life just seems a bit tough, get in touch and let one of our Family Practitioners be there to support you.
We can support the whole family and have a range of activities that you and your child can join to connect with others both in person and online like Family Fun Days, Audio book Club, Cooking sessions, Support with Assistive Technology, Sisterhood Group, Creative sessions, Sensory Stories and much more.
The Families First Service is a national service with Family Practitioners based all over England and Wales. The address in London is our head office where we have some activities and some of our activities also run online.
Time / Date Details
When is it - Contact us Monday to Friday 9-5pm, many of our activities also run on evenings and weekend
Costs
All our services are free
Availability
Age Ranges – Blind and partially sighted children 0-25 and their families
Referral required - No