Support for children with a visual impairment in Northern Ireland: the role of the rehabilitation worker

Abstract

This article reports findings from one aspect of a large scale research project funded by the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, to investigate the mobility, independence and life skills education available to children and young people with a visual impairment between 0 and 19 years of age in Northern Ireland (NI). Here the focus is on the nature of the support provided by rehabilitation workers for this age group. A mixed method approach (questionnaire survey, focus group and one-to-one interviews) was utilized to triangulate the findings. Whereas the results show that rehabilitation workers (RWs) in NI support some 147 children and young people across NI, most of this support is aimed at parents and takes the form of advice about service provision. At the outset of the project, only one part-time contracted Rehabilitation Worker (RW) had specialist training in working with children; during the project he was redeployed to adult services. In contrast to the small number of children catered for by the service, the majority of RWs work with adults over the age of 65. The implications of these findings are discussed.