Sensory Impairment
We offer specialist assessments and services to people with severe vision and/or hearing loss. If you ask for an assessment the assessor will consider a wide range of your needs, but concentrate on the practical and emotional difficulties experienced by people with a sensory loss, as well the effect that these difficulties have on their carers.
The term deafblind refers to people who have a combined vision and hearing loss as well as people with no useful sight or hearing. Each local authority has a duty to identify the deafblind people in their area, make contact with them and offer an assessment of their needs. We also have a duty to ensure that the services we provide are appropriate to the needs of deafblind people.
Special Equipment
Deaf people may need alerting by flashing lights or vibrating pagers to a wide range of events such as callers at their door, smoke alarms etc. There is also equipment to help Deaf people use the telephone to communicate in an emergency.
Visually impaired people may need equipment to enable them to read important correspondence or to prepare and cook food and make drinks safely.
Learning New Skills
Visually impaired people may need to be trained in new techniques to move around safely, carry out a range a household tasks, access correspondence or information on their computer.
Group activities and emotional support
Some learning is best done in groups where the support of the other people, with similar difficulties, is available. Meeting people who have risen to the challenge of their sensory loss may inspire others to learn new ways of doing familiar tasks.
Many people with a severe sensory impairment feel isolated and emotionally vulnerable. Staff in our team are aware of these issues and will aim to improve your confidence and independence through their work with you.
There are social groups for Deaf and deafblind people as well as groups for carers of visually impaired people. There is also a communicator guide scheme to enable deafblind people to have some independence.
Social workers with Deaf people use British Sign Language but are not BSL/English interpreters. Qualified interpreters are available through the Sheffield City Council’s Language Support Service on tel: 0114 274 6313.
Team Standards
- Our specialist assessors will discuss their assessment with each customer and advise them which of the needs they have identified will be eligible for the provision of a service.
- We aim to complete assessments within 28 working days of receiving a referral.
- If your assessment identifies any special equipment, we aim to deliver this to you within seven working days of the assessment.
- For those people that do not fall within our eligibility criteria we can provide advice on equipment that is most suitable to their needs and information on how to purchase it themselves.
Contact Information
The Sensory Impairment Team
Neighbourhoods and Community Care
Floor 1, Howden House, Union Street, Sheffield S1 2SH
Telephone (voice) 273 4977
Textphone (minicom) 273 4977
Fax 275 0940
Mobile text messages (SMS) 0788 1835474
Police emergency text messages 0778 6220022
A duty service for deaf people is available each Thursday afternoon (2.00 - 4.30 p.m.). A Rehabilitation Officer for visually impaired people is available each Tuesday afternoon (2.00 – 4.30 p.m.). Enquiries at other times (including emergencies outside office hours) can be made to 273 4908.
Where can I get more information?
You can view the Help for Adults web page.
You can view websites for National Organisations providing information and advice.
Downloads
Information on the services available for people with impaired vision and/or hearing. (31 KB)