Sensory and Physical Needs

The SEND Code of Practice 2015 (CoP) defines sensory and physical needs as difficulties relating to visual impairment (VI), deaf and/or hard of hearing (formally hearing impaired), multi-sensory impairment (MSI) and physical difficulties that may require specialist support and/or equipment to access their learning. The effects and experiences of disability are unique to each individual and range from mild to very severe or profound.

It is important that all practitioners working with the child or young person take a strengths-based approach and celebrate individual skills and successes, to help them establish a positive perception of self.

Some children and young people require special educational provision because they have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of the educational facilities generally provided. These difficulties can be age related and may fluctuate over time.

SEND Code of Practice 6.34

"Under the Equality Act 2010 public sector organisations have to make changes in their approach or provision to ensure that services are accessible to disabled people as well as everybody else. Reasonable adjustments can mean alterations to buildings by providing lifts, wide doors, ramps and tactile signage, but may also mean changes to policies, procedures and staff training."

Sensory Impairments

Visual impairment

Visual impairment is used to describe sight loss that cannot be corrected using glasses or contact lenses.

Deaf and/or hard of hearing

Hearing loss and deafness happen when sound signals don’t reach the brain. There are two main types: Sensorineural and Conductive hearing loss, and it is possible to have both, which is known as mixed hearing loss.

Sensorineural hearing loss

This is caused by damage to the hair cells inside the inner ear, or damage to the hearing nerve, or both. It makes it more difficult to hear quiet sounds and reduces the quality of sound that you can hear. Sensorineural hearing loss is permanent but can often be treated with hearing aids.

Conductive hearing loss

This happens when a problem with the ear, such as ear wax or an ear infection, stops sound from passing through to the cochlea (the hearing organ). Sounds will become quieter and may sound muffled. It can be temporary or permanent, depending on the cause. Conductive hearing loss is usually caused by ear problems.

Multi-Sensory Impairment

Children and young people with multi-sensory impairments (MSI) have both hearing and visual impairments. Any degree of combined sight and hearing impairment can create a disadvantage. Impairments can range from mild to profound and may fluctuate or be a consistent loss. Hearing and sight are our primary means of gaining information from the environment particularly anything over an arm’s length. This makes knowing what is happening to and around someone with MSI more difficult and can affect the pace of learning in communication, relationships, perception of time and space, generalisation and abstract reasoning. Development of children and young people with MSI can be unlike that of typically developing children and young people.

Physical Needs

Within the Equality (Act 2010) a physical disability is a, “limitation on a person’s physical functioning, mobility, dexterity, or stamina. It has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on a person’s ability to do daily activities.”