Sense Specialist Services for Children & Young People is a team of specialist teachers of multisensory impairment (QTMSI) and MSI practitioners.
We have a wide range of skills and experience working with children and young people who are deafblind/ multi-sensory impaired.
The team supports:
- Children and young people who are deafblind/multi-sensory impaired
- Children and young people who have medical conditions that are likely to cause problems with sight and hearing as they grow older – for example Usher syndrome.
- We also offer some support to children (and their families) who have either a hearing or vision impairment, and additional needs, which impact on their access to information, communication and mobility.
Sense Services
1.Early Intervention and Play Service (EIPS):
We want families to see a more positive future, and for siblings to have more chances to have fun and share experiences with their peers. This new service will be led by a team of skilled early years practitioners. We will deliver a programme of early intervention and developmental play sessions, giving families the chance to understand their child’s unique needs and abilities, develop new strategies to communicate with their child and to grow in confidence in navigating their child’s health, wellbeing, and development plans.
Contact: Jennifer Giles
Jennifer.giles@sense.org.uk
2. GOT (Get out There) Groups:
These are commissioned groups by the L.A. under short breaks. These run as Saturday clubs, after school clubs and holiday schemes but vary from area to area.
Currently we have commissions in Warwickshire, Solihull, Trafford, Sandwell, Stockport, Manchester, Loughborough
Contact: Ruth Bennet-Anderson
Ruth.Bennet-anderson@sense.org.uk
3.Siblings and young carers
We work with young carers and siblings aged 5-18, based in the UK. Sometimes, we all need space to relax and share our experiences with people who understand us. That’s why we offer support and activities to young carers and siblings of people with disabilities.
Your child could attend one of our virtual book clubs or games nights or come along to a wellbeing session if they’d like to talk. The choice is theirs!
Current Face to face provision
Birmingham group meets on the 3rd Saturday every month @ TBP from 1-3:45 p.m.
Bristol group meet on the 4th Saturday of every month at the woodside centre.
Contact: Robert Moss
Robert.Moss@sense.org.uk or siblingsandyoungcarers@sense.org.uk
4.Virtual Buddying
For disabled people of any age in the UK. Chat online or on the phone with your Buddy once a week from the comfort of your home.
Providing someone to talk too, share interest and hobbies and build your confidence.
Contact: virtual.buddying@sense.org.uk
5. Holidays
Sense has been running holidays for disabled people in the UK for over 50 years. We can promise postcard-worthy adventures in the country’s most picturesque spots. All with expert carers and trusted volunteers at your side!
Every Sense Holiday is an opportunity to make friends for life. We group you together with other holidaymakers around your age, with similar communication styles.
Most importantly, we group holidaymakers together based on their interests. Want to try canoeing, climbing or even horse riding? We’ve got the right holiday for you!
There’s no upper age limit on Sense Holidays – we take children and adults. We run two types of holiday:
§ Children and young people, up to the age of 18.
§ Adults aged 18 and over.
Contact: Alanna Bentley
Alanna.Bentley@sense.org.uk
6.Art, Sports, and Wellbeing
Our Arts sports and wellbeing offer a wide and varied programme from Yoga to sensory football to dance to recycled art. They run both a virtual programme and face to face sessions. You can also access sme pre recorded session via our You Tube page https://www.youtube.com/user/SenseCharity/videos
Check out the sense website to see what’s on offer in your area. https://www.sense.org.uk/scheduled-activities/
7.Employment
Disabled job seekers experience a disproportionate level of difficulty in accessing employment with statistics showing that you are twice as likely to be unemployed than a non-disabled person. Building on the back of our highly successful Employment pilot in Birmingham, ‘Aspirations for All’, we are aiming to introduce this in new areas. Our Aspirations for All service was designed to break the cycle of unemployment and to reduce employment barriers experienced by disabled people.
Contact Zoe Bates
Zoe.bates@sense.org.uk
8. College:
Sense College is an independent specialist college for people aged 16-25 with complex disabilities with an EHCP
- to build up your life skills
- or work towards an educational qualification?
There are 9 college bases: Loughborough, Leicestershire / Aldeby, Suffolk / Bedford, Bedfordshire / Dereham, Norfolk / Knapwell, Cambridgeshire / Peterborough, Cambridgeshire / Rothwell, Northamptonshire / Streatley. Luton / Touchbase Pears, Birmingham
Contact Info and advice: info@sense.org.uk
9. Day Service:
At Sense, the term “day services” covers a huge range of opportunities. Depending on where you live and your interests, you might want try
From swimming to fitness, Sensory session to Art and craft and cinema to theatre whatever your interest are.
Contact Info and advice: info@sense.org.uk
10. Buddying
Sense Buddying pairs you with a volunteer who has the same interests or hobbies as you! This programme is open to young people aged 5-18 with disabilities who live in one of the following areas: Redbridge, Hackney, Newham, West London, Manchester
Contact: Freesia Bassett
Freesia.Bassett@sense.org.uk
11.Community Support
Intervenors: Intervenors work with children and adults who were born deafblind, often with other complex needs. Together with you and your family, they help you to develop a way of communicating.
Intervenors can support you both at home and in your community. This could include:
- Practical help with day-to-day tasks like shopping.
- Help with taking emails or calls.
- Setting up medical appointments for you.
- Acting as an interpreter as you chat with others.
Communicator Guides support adults with acquired deafblindness or multi-sensory impairment. This means that your hearing or vision loss developed later in life, not at birth. They can do things like:
- Give you practical help with day-to-day tasks like shopping.
- Help you with taking emails or calls.
- Set up medical appointments for you.
- Act as an interpreter as you chat and spend time with others.
Contact Info and advice: info@sense.org.uk
12. Residential Care
Sense Residential Care offers a place to call home for adults with complex disabilities. No matter what your needs, or how you communicate, our expert staff will be able to support you to live the life you want.
All our residents have their own rooms, and choose how they spend their time, with the reassurance of 24-hour care. Want to learn a new skill, go shopping or make friends? Sense staff will be there to support you.
Contact Info and advice: info@sense.org.uk
13.Supported Living
Sense Supported Living is for people who need some help with day-to-day life but want to have their own home.
In this accommodation service, you’re the tenant. You can choose whether you live with others or by yourself and decide how much care you need. You might want a support worker to stay with you all day, or you might only want them to help you with specific tasks.
Contact Info and advice: info@sense.org.uk
14.Usher Team
Our expert team offers one-to-one support for people with Usher Syndrome and their families.
Contact Info and advice: info@sense.org.uk
