Parent Workshop – Sensory Play Discovery for Children with Complex Needs

• Date: Tuesday 26 November 2024
• Time: 7.30pm to 8.30pm
• Who: For parents/carers of a VI child with additional complex needs
  (please note we are also running an Early Years Workshop on 19 November, click here if you’d like to apply for that workshop)
• Where: Online/Zoom
• Cost: FREE

We’re excited to be welcoming the My Time to Play team from Guide Dogs to help you discover the ways you can support your vision impaired child through play when they have complex needs. This is a fantastic opportunity to hear from Guide Dogs habilitation specialists. They will talk through many of the items you will find within the Sensory Packs, suggesting fun activities they can be used for and more importantly explaining how and what areas of development each of the items crucially supports in meeting key milestones.

For many babies and young children with a vision impairment and additional or complex needs, finding toys and activities that are meaningful and accessible, while supporting development can be a challenge. Play encourages exploration and discovery. It provides children with first-hand experiences that help them make sense of the world around them. Together the VICTA Sensory Discovery Packs and My Time to Play hope to support parents on this journey.

Sensory Discover Pack for Complex Needs

VICTA’s Early Years Sensory Discovery Packs are available for vision impaired children aged 0 to 4 years. To support those attending our workshop for parents of children who have complex needs, we have created a limited time special pack available for application for children of any age. This pack is exclusively available to parents/carers attending the workshop and applications for the pack will close on Tuesday 9 November, or while stocks last.

To apply for a pack for your child who has complex needs click here >

When you apply for your pack we will also send you a selection of Bird & Blend teabags so that you can relax with a cup of tea while you enjoy the workshop!

About Guide Dogs, My Time to Play

My Time to Play is an initiative created by Guide Dogs, this project has been created for children aged 0 to 4 with a vision impairment and their parents, carers and siblings. It’s a free service delivered by Qualified Habilitation Specialists that helps children with a vision impairment develop a broad range of skills through play. They run a programme of fun and supportive small group sessions, each session typically includes activities of music and movement, sensory play, crafts and stories. All designed to support your child’s development.

Click here to visit the My Time to Play information on the Guide Dogs website > 

About VICTA’s Early Years Sensory Discovery Packs

The packs have been carefully curated using input from parents and professionals to provide a sensory play starting point for parents of a vision impaired child. Parents of VI early years children have told us they’ve sometimes struggled with play and interaction to support their child’s development – we hope our packs, supporting resources and videos will help to empower and educate during this crucial time. A VICTA Sensory Pack is a great way to give your child hours of fun while supporting their early development, concentrating on developing all their senses and early movement. There are two age specific packs parents can choose from – a baby pack for children aged 0 to 1.5 years and a toddler pack for children aged 1.5 years to 4 years.

To find out more and apply for your baby or toddler pack, visit: victaparents.org.uk/early-years-sensory-pack

Apply for the workshop

Parent/Guardian 1

First name *

Last name *

Email *

Address line 1 *

Address line 2

City *

Post code *

Contact phone number *

Is the applicant *

• Blind
• Partially Sighted
• Not vision impaired

Parent/Guardian 2

If a second parent/guardian will be joining, please include their details below

First name

Last name

Is the applicant *

• Blind
• Partially Sighted
• Not vision impaired

Are you currently a member of the VICTA Parent Network Facebook group? *

• Yes
• No

Do you currently have a Sensory Discovery Pack? *

• Yes
• No

Details of your VI child

Please fill out the details for your child who has a visual impairment, although children are not attending this is required for our information and planning.

Child's first name *

Child's last name *

Child's date of birth *

Is your child *

• Blind
• Partially Sighted

Is your child registered for their vision impairment? *

• Yes
• No

Name of child's eye condition? *

Supporting documentation

If your child is registered for their visual impairment, please include a copy of one of the following registration documents: - Certificate of Visual Impairment (CVI) - Blind Registration Card issued by local authority - Letter from the local council confirming the person to be registered If the applicant is not registered, please provide: - a letter from an ophthalmologist confirming visual acuity. Please note, applications cannot be processed without these documents.

Uploading documents

If you would like to upload any supporting documents such as a copy of your registration document, you can do so here (please supply a jpg or pdf). If supplying a CVI, please include Parts 1 & 2. If you are including a copy of a Blind Registration Card, please remember to include both sides. Only files saved as a jpeg or pdf formats will be accepted by the upload. Alternatively, you can email them to parents@victa.org.uk

Click or drag files to this area to upload. You can upload up to 3 files.

Photographs and filming

Photographs and video footage may be taken during our online activities. These will be used to create photo albums both on our website and on VICTA/Guide Dogs' social media after the activity to share with family and friends and to promote the activity. VICTA and Guide Dogs may also use any photographs or video material taken during an event for the future marketing, publicity and fundraising of activities. Do we have your permission to do so?

• Yes
• No

Declaration, privacy and consent

To be signed by the applicant. This form has been completed accurately and I undertake to update VICTA should any of the information in this form change. a. I agree to to take part in VICTA's activity and have read all the information sent to me. b. I acknowledge the need to behave responsibly at all times during the activity. c. I confirm that this form has been completed accurately and I undertake to update VICTA's organisers should any information contained on the form or personal circumstances change. By signing this form you consent to VICTA using the information supplied for the purpose of administering the named event. All the information will be treated in the strictest of confidence and made available only to those staff working with the participant. We may need to share your details with third party suppliers in relation to this activity. Contact information will be retained and used for marketing of other relevant services. I give consent for VICTA to carry out the following in accordance with the Data Protection Act (1998) and to store my personal information on VICTA's database and/or any other suitable system.

Agreement to declaration

• I agree
• I do not agree

Signed (insert name) *

Date *

My relationship to the applicant (if applicable)

• Parent
• Legal guardian
• Other

condition? your If

If 'other' please state

How did you hear about this activity? *

• Web search
• VICTA email
• Referral from a professional
• Referral from another charity
• Word of mouth
• Social media
• At an exhibition or conference
• Other

Would you like to be added to the VICTA email database to be kept up-to-date with charity news and new activities? *

• Yes
• No
• I'm already signed up

Submit