Vision 2020 CYP Functional Group

Vision 2020 CYP functional group

Attendance:

·  Jenny Cook

·  John Harris (attending on behalf of Sue Sharp)

·  Lynn Stow

·  Lesley Inganni

·  Bernadette Dawes

·  Fiona Brown

·  Julie Jennings

·  Laura Hughes

·  Laura Christie

·  Mike Brace

·  Nicola Crews

·  Wendy Rankin

·  Gillian Coles

·  Lindsey Rousseau

·  Rowena McNamara

Apologies:

·  Mary Bairstow

·  Mercy Jeyasingham

·  Steve Rose

·  Matt Broom

·  Michael Bowen

·  Sue Sharp

·  Chris Lloyd

Jenny welcomed everyone and went through agenda.

Actions from last meeting:

·  Tracy Tappenden is now vice-chair-confirmed.

·  Julie Jennings gave an update on the multiple impairment group.

·  Wendy circulated all Scottish info after the last meeting

·  Gillian Coles was thanked for sending outcome measures

·  Lindsey Rousseau gave an update on mandatory qualifications – tender gone out to seek three providers

·  Julie Jennings – take up is on low incidence devices - needs another push. Jenny Cook to recirculate information.

Agenda

1)  CYP practitioners forum: Julie Jennings shared paper on proposal for a CYP forum which was discussed. This would be a forum sharing best practice in family support. RNIB happy to kick it off but stated that other organisations are welcome to take over. It is envisaged that there will be 2 meetings per annum. The meeting should have a ‘Vision 2020UK CYP’ banner.

Action – Julie Jennings and Jean French to action with the aim of the first meeting will happen before end of March 2016

2)  Seeability: Laura Christie gave an update on the special schools project:

·  Two years now progressed with the campaign

·  Working in 6 special schools in London providing sight tests

·  The campaign went public on 18th of September

·  Launched equal right to site report

·  Open the petition for national plan for site tests for children with learning disability Website updated with information and templates used during the project

·  Currently seeing 300 children

·  Undertaken 600 eye tests

Action: all please keep promoting and supporting the initiative

3)  BIOS & National Screening

·  National screening 4 and 5-year-olds – verbal update from Rowena McNamara

·  Local authorities are not contracting services now that funding has moved

·  Vision assessment is not a sight test - important point to make

·  This is a recommendation and not mandatory - Vision test by age 5

·  Local Authorities are being asked to cut budgets for under five

·  BIOS campaigning through CCG's and other colleagues and want a united front

·  BIOS has done a mapping exercise to find out where the gaps are – this is being used by high street providers to ‘set up shop’ in those areas.

·  The orthoptic lead – school nurses or assistant – BIOS would like to offer audit and quality check but can't due to financial constraints so no figures or data or quality check is available

·  The group then discussed how the screening worked and issues with data collection Jenny Cook expressed the benefit of BIOS being a member of the group

·  Local Authorities may commission this service out but the contract amounts are small.

·  It was agreed that the Vision2020UK would endorse the BOIS statement and promote the message.

Post meeting Note from Rowena McNamara: I attach the link to our website with the statement we posted in response to the Blind Children UK publication on 25th August. It has been endorsed by Royal Collage of ophthalmologists and BIOS. https://orthoptics.org.uk/news/3495013

4)  Vision UK conference

·  Jenny Cook talked through the conference and invited feedback about the session.

·  All agreed it was a success and the most well attended.

·  Suggestion that there is a separate conference for children young people and parents.

Action: - Jenny Cook said she would feedback to conference organisers about costs attendance for children and young people and parents

5)  Visionary / Vision2020UK Conference – Edinburgh update

Wendy Rankin and Laura Hughes gave update on the conference session to be delivered at the conference 20 / 21 October 2015. Attached.

6)  Certification and Registration. Bernie Dawes talked through paper which was circulated with the minutes. Julie Jennings gave the background to the issue. The group discussed the issues raised about LA duty in relation to children and young people certificates and registration.

Action: A small task and finish working group will be formed of Bernie, Julie, Fiona, Mike, Nicola to identify the issues.

7)  Issues in Mainstream Education. Laura Hughes shared the results of an information gathering exercise about educational concerns that parents have. Attached.

·  Laura led a discussion about issues raised, some of which are poor schools; funding; parents not wanting to say.

·  Conversation around lack of QTVI’s and where it works well

·  Bernie highlighted the OFSTED consultation that is currently live and anyone that has an interest can feed back on.

Action: OFSTED consultation will run for 3 months and will close on 4th January 2016. All are encouraged to ensure active participation. The consultation is online at

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/local-area-send-consultation

(Mike Brace and John left at the meeting at 12:45)

8)  Starting Point. Following the conversation on education support there was a suggestion that an awareness campaign for parents and parents support to go on any of our websites and to consider revising ‘Starting Point’. Jenny also raised that the Paed RCOpth CYP group were also keen that Starting Point be reviewed and updated for professionals and practitioners.

Action: ‘Starting Point’ review working group to be led by Mary with Julie Nicola Wendy Bernie and Rowena.

Additional Action: Jackie to add John Harris to Vision2020UK CYP group email address

Jenny rounded up discussion by summarising the meeting and bringing the themes together.

Items for next agenda:

·  CYP VI with mental health

·  Education skills workbooks

Next meeting date May 19, 2016. 1030hrs to 1330hrs (3 hours). Friends Meeting House, Euston, London