HabVIUK annual conference 2024

We’re pleased to announce that the annual HabVIUK conference will be held on Wednesday 6 March at Strathallan Hotel in Birmingham. Priced at £50 for HabVIUK members (£100 for non-members), this years conference is in-person and will include a buffet lunch, tea and coffee and a choice of 2 workshops, as well as 3 keynote speakers. The focus of the conference is on supporting vision impaired children and young people with a range of additional needs, including autism, mental health, life limiting conditions and multi-sensory impairments.

We hope it will offer our members the opportunity to chat with others whilst learning more from the excellent speakers that we have on offer. The hotel is easily accessible by car (with a large free car park) or on public transport.

Supporting children with life limiting conditions

Hannah Tompkins Nurse Specialist in Palliative Care, Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice & Louis Dundas Centre, Great Ormond Street Hospital

Hannah is a palliative care nurse, specialising in working with children and young people with long term, life-limiting, and life-threatening conditions. Qualified to Postgraduate level in Paediatric & Adolescent Nursing and with a Masters in Medical Ethics, she is currently working jointly between Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice in North London and the Louis Dundas Centre, at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Since 2007, Hannah has worked with children and young people with complex needs, including sensory, physical and cognitive impairments, autism and related communication difficulties

Educational inclusion and the role of habilitation services in the lives of children and young people with vision impairment.

Ifigeneia Manitsa is a Research Fellow, Schools of Psychology and Education, University of Birmingham and Visiting Lecturer and Supervisor, Kingston University London. Ifigeneia's research expertise lies in the socio-emotional development and educational inclusion of students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities with an emphasis on Vision Impairment. She is the Principal Investigator of the Research Projects "Developing university guidance for the socio-emotional needs of students with vision impairment" (supported by the Thomas Pocklington Trust Research Grant) and "Promoting the school inclusion of children and adolescents with sensory impairment: The development of a digital intervention".

How to engage and support parents of complex needs children in their Hab programme

Charlotte Mellor from the VICTA Parent Network will give us a parent’s perspective on working with professionals and the value of good habilitation support. She’ll also give us an insight into how to engage and support parents of complex needs children in their Hab programme . Before joining Victa, Charlotte set up the Scarlett’s Eyes blog, to provides education, support and a virtual community for parents of children with visual impairment. Charlotte, who lives in Salford, set up the site as a result of needing support and information herself when her daughter Scarlett was born blind and with additional complex needs.

1) Sensory Integration - Claire Ginty Occupational therapist

Claire is a Consultant Specialist Occupational Therapist, and has over 15 years experience of working with children and young people with complex needs. She has a specialist interest in Attachment and Trauma, including medical trauma and the effect that that this has on the sensory systems and function. Claire will be looking into physiological regulation and sensory difficulties for children with visual impairment.

2) Supporting children with life limiting conditions - Hannah Tompkins

Hannah will be looking more closely into how habilitation practitioners can best support children with life limiting conditions and their families.

3) Supporting children with autism - Steve Brown

Steve will be looking at how to best support pupils with vision impairment and autism

He specialises in SEND and has worked in outreach services for Autism and SEMH.

4) Early communication - Anne Cheesbrough from SENSE

Anne will be exploring early communication for children with sensory needs and the play activities that hab specialists can build into their programmes . Anne is an MSI practitioner with years of experience of working with children with a range of complex needs.

5) Colour tents - Suzanne Little, CVI Society

Suzanne will be looking at how to increase awareness and engagement using colour tents. She is one of the trustees of the CVI Society

Host or Publisher Habilitation VI UK