Child and Youth Services - In Detail
The RSB offers a comprehensive range of services to assist children who are blind or vision impaired, between the ages of 0-18 years. The services are individually tailored to meet the changing physical and psychological needs of this client group. These services include:
Child and Youth Services Low Vision Clinic
Provides vision assessment, information about visual conditions, equipment, and magnification aids.
Paediatric Low Vision Clinic
Provides specialised vision assessment for 0-6 year olds.
Occupational Therapy
Includes the development of play, fine and gross motor, self-care, and independent living skills.
Orientation and Mobility Training
O&M Training helps a child know where they are and the skills to safely move to where they want to go. O&M begins in infancy and continues into adulthood as the child learns skills to be a safe and efficient independent traveller.
Recreation & Leisure
Provides opportunities to develop physical fitness through individual and team sports such as blind cricket, tandem cycling, goal ball, and gym programs.
Adaptive Technology
Assists individuals to use adaptive technology and provides assessment, advice and training in the use of specialised equipment.
Employment Services Leaving School Program
Program assists students over the age of 14 years to plan and prepare for their future. The RSB offers assistance with career planning, work experience placements, job application assistance, resume writing, interview skills, and information on funding for technology.
RSB Guide Dog Service
RSB Guide Dog Service hosts an annual ‘come and try an RSB Guide Dog’ weekend camp called K94U2C. The purpose is to provide a range of guide dog handler related experiences so teens might begin to consider an RSB Guide Dog as a mobility aid.
Counselling
Counselling can assist families adjust to and understand the impact of a visual impairment for their child. Counsellors can help to work through any issues around the vision impairment.
Early Intervention
Early Intervention (Better Start) addresses the special needs of children 0-6 years of age with a vision impairment or blindness.
Please contact the Child and Youth Services Coordinator on 8417 5599 or 1800 675 554 for further information.