Can you help visually impaired children this autumn? – Vision Foundation
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It’s that back-to-school time of year

Children may be excited or nervous about seeing their friends and starting a new term. But for visually impaired children, returning to school can be especially hard.

From being left out at playtime to receiving homework they can’t understand because it’s not accessible, visually impaired young people tell us that school life is a struggle.

The Vision Foundation wants every blind and partially sighted child to be included and allowed to flourish in education. Please will you make a donation today to help us achieve this?

Image shows Chloe and her mum Jane smiling in the woods. Chloe is cuddling her golden buddy dog, Sapphire.

Your support can brighten Chloe’s day

Moving to secondary school was hard for Chloe, who has just turned 13 and was born deafblind.

In school, Chloe felt misunderstood by her peers and was often left out in the playground. She struggled to understand what was being said by her teachers and couldn’t easily articulate how hard she found the lessons. Chloe’s mum, Jane, became concerned:

“Chloe didn’t talk about it openly, but I heard from a friend that she was crying in the toilets at break and lunch…She felt sick of herself, and I was desperately worried.”

A step in the right direction

Jane reached out to the Vision Foundation’s delivery partner, Look UK. Chloe joined a Vision Foundation funded mentoring programme, which links visually impaired children with young adult mentors for advice and support. Chloe was paired with Andrea, who is also deafblind and understood exactly what Chloe was going through. They chatted every week.

Over time, Andrea was able to build up Chloe’s confidence, encouraging her to let people know what she needed, and how to ask for support. Chloe found her voice again. She’s joined a local youth club and is making new friends.

Quote reads:
Image shows Chloe sat on a park bench with her Look UK Mentor, Andrea, and her Mum, Jane. All three are smiling.

Support children like Chloe by making a gift today

Chloe’s story is not unique. Around a quarter of blind and partially sighted children are unhappy with their life because of their sight loss.*

Will you make a donation to the Vision Foundation this autumn to help more young people like Chloe to feel included, understood and positive about the future? Thank you for making a difference!


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*Survey of Young People Parents Educators and Mobility Specialists, Nzegwu ad Dooley 2008 (1) p127 (2) p116