If a member of staff suspects a child has an undiagnosed hearing or visual impairment the first response should be to discuss this with parents or carers and advise them to seek medical advice from their GP or optician. Educational settings should not attempt to assess hearing or vision impairments themselves.
For children with a diagnosed sensory impairment, educational settings, parents, carers and health professionals can make a referral to the sensory education support team (SEST). This referral must include medical information from a health professional, before the referral can be processed. A visit from a qualified teacher for children and young people with a sensory impairment from SEST will offer personalised advice on appropriate strategies, adaptations and interventions if appropriate.
