Sensory Support Team

Our Sensory Support Team offers support and advice to those with a sensory loss.

We provide services for people:

• with a visual impairment
• who are hard of hearing
• who are profoundly deaf
• who have both a visual impairment and hearing impairment or loss

Support and guidance are provided by specialist social workers and include:

• assessment of needs to determine care and support needs
• signposting to local support groups and agencies
• registration of impairment, where appropriate

Services can include:

• the supply of specialist equipment to maintain independence
• rehabilitation training - for example those who are visually impaired (partially sighted or blind) may benefit from training to cope with daily living such as communication and accessing the community
• provide British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters for all assessments which we are committed to provide
• completing registration - for example your GP may have referred you to a consultant ophthalmologist

If the consultant ophthalmologist has given you a Certificate of Visual Impairment (CVI), a copy will be sent to your GP and specialist sensory support team. When we receive the certificate, we will contact you to provide you with information about registration and offer you an assessment.

Our specialist mobility and rehabilitation officers can provide training and advice on independent living skills, communication and orientation and mobility to enable people to be as independent as possible.

First Contact Team:

• telephone: 01642 527764
• fax: 01642 527756
• minicom: 01642 527769
• email: FirstContactAdults@stockton.gov.uk