RNIB spotlights public cuts to VI services

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has revealed that over three quarters of local authorities have cut or frozen support towards specialist education for young people with vision impairment (VI) in the UK.

The Still Left out of Learning report outlined how public spending cuts in the last four years have created a “postcode lottery system”, meaning funding is not equally distributed and has created significant rising pressures.

Due to low resources, almost two thirds of authorities have had to decrease or freeze employment of qualified specialist VI teachers. Similarly, one in eight children and young people in need of habilitation support to develop their mobility, orientation, and independent living skills have been unable to access it or are on a waiting list.