We are delighted to announce that Seashell have been awarded a contract from the Department for Education (DfE) to deliver a Multisensory Impairment (MSI) Mandatory Qualification (MQ) as of September 2024.
Multisensory Impairment (MSI) means that a child or young person has impairments with both sight and hearing – their sensory loss may be present at birth or acquired later. Most people with MSI will have some useful vision and hearing; however, there are some individuals who are completely deaf and blind.
The combination of sight and hearing impairments can actually cause additional challenges for the individual – such as problems with balance and spatial awareness – this is why we talk of multi-sensory impairment (MSI), but you may also hear the term ‘deafblind’.
We support many children and young adults with multisensory needs from across the country, often from a very young age. The team of professionals at Seashell, including Qualified MSI Teachers, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Audiologists, and Habilitation Specialists work together to deliver a holistic approach to supporting this unique population of learners.
Deafblind (MSI) children and young adults require highly specialist teachers to maximise their potential to learn. This qualification will provide teachers with the specialist knowledge to ensure those learners have the best opportunities in preparation for adulthood.
The MSI MQ contract, awarded by the Department for Education (DfE), makes Seashell one of just two providers delivering this specialist course in the UK. This is welcome news for the Sensory Impairment (SI) sector and for MSI especially, as it will give more opportunities for MSI learners, their families and naturally, the professionals working with them.
Affiliation negotiations are underway with University providers and we hope to provide an update on this very soon.
“The Sensory Support Team at Seashell are thrilled to have been awarded the contract from the DfE to deliver the postgraduate mandatory qualification in MSI (Deafblindness). As a highly trained specialist team of practitioners, we look forward to sharing our knowledge and expertise to train the next generation of MSI teachers, empowering them to improve the outcomes for MSI children, young people and their families.”
Michelle Jones, Head of Seashell Sensory Services
