Sense provides a range of information for social workers working with deafblind clients. These may be specialist deafblind workers, generic workers or commissioners who want to know more about deafblindness and what support deafblind people need from social services.

Deafblind Guidance

Since 2001, social services departments in both England and Wales have had specific duties in relation to deafblind children and adults, set out in the statutory guidance Social Care for Deafblind Children and Adults (issued in 2001 in Wales, re-issued in 2009 in England).

Personalisation and direct payments

Local authorities in England and Wales are implementing personalisation in a range of different ways. Sense has produced information about how personalisation and direct payments relates to deafblind services.

Older people

Ageing is the single most common cause of deafblindness; around 80 per cent of deafblind people are aged over 60 (see A Sense of Urgency report). Many of these people will not identify with the term ‘deafblind’, and terms such as ‘dual-sensory loss’ or ‘can’t see and hear too well’ are often used.

However, older people with a loss of both hearing and sight may meet the definition of deafblindness and therefore need to be supported in a way which complies with the deafblind guidance. Sense has produced a range of materials aimed at professionals, including social workers, who work with older people to enable them to better support those with hearing and sight loss.

Support groups for local authority workers

There are two support groups for local authority workers, one supported by Sense in the South of England, and one run independently in the North of England. Both are run by and for local authority workers.