Sensory and physical needs (0–4)

What do we mean by sensory and physical needs?

Some children may experience differences in how they see, hear, move, or access their environment. This may be described as sensory and/or physical needs.

This can include:

• vision impairment (difficulties with sight)
• hearing loss or deafness
• multi-sensory impairment (a combination of hearing and vision needs)
• physical disabilities or physical needs that affect movement, coordination, or access

Every child is different, and needs can range from mild to more complex.

Getting support in Oxfordshire

If you are worried about your child’s hearing, vision, movement, coordination, or physical access, a good first step is to talk to the people who know your child well. This might be your child’s nursery, childminder, health visitor, GP, paediatrician, audiology service, or eye hospital team.

0-4: find local health services | Oxfordshire County Council helps families to explore local services, practical information, and who to contact for advice.

Some families may also find support through parent or community groups, the Family Information Service, or impartial advice services such as SENDIASS Oxfordshire.

If you are not sure where to begin, you can speak with your child’s nursery, childminder, health visitor, or another professional involved with your child. You can also explore the Local Offer for more information about local health services and SEND support.

For information about services for children and families, including how to find your nearest children and family centre, visit the Children and families page.

For practical information and support from pregnancy through your child’s early years, visit Oxfordshire’s Best Start in Life.

How children can be supported at home and in early years settings

Children with sensory and physical needs can be supported in many simple and meaningful ways at home and in their early years setting. The right support will depend on your child’s strengths, needs, and interests.

At home, support might include using clear routines, giving extra time, adapting play activities, thinking about lighting or background noise, and choosing toys or resources that suit your child’s needs. Parents and carers know their child best, and the small things you notice and do each day can make a big difference. The ‘Resources and organisations’ section below includes useful information for you to access, based on your child’s specific needs.

In an early years setting, support may include adapting activities, making spaces easier to access, reducing barriers, using visual prompts or signing, and offering different ways for children to communicate and join in. Settings should work closely with parents and carers to understand what is working well and plan support together. If a child needs more help, settings should work with families and other professionals to plan and review support.

The Ordinarily available SEND provision document explains the support early years settings should usually put in place to help children feel included and take part.

Resources and organisations that may help locally

 For hearing needs

• The SENDISS Deaf and Hearing Support Team are a countywide Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) and Inclusion Support Service. Referrals to the Deaf and Hearing Support Team, usually come from an audiology department at your local hospital. If parents/carers have concerns about a child’s hearing, please contact your GP to arrange a hearing test. When a baby or young child has a confirmed hearing loss, they can be referred. A Teacher of Deaf Children and Young People contacts the family and arranges a visit, which is usually made to the family home. The SENDISS DHS support in the early years document explains the help that may be available at home and in early years settings.
• The Signing to support children's language development booklet, the Oxfordshire 100 signs video, and Oxford Health NHS signing videos offer simple ways to support early communication and language development.
• Oxfordshire’s Deaf and Hearing Support Team has created a book list with deaf characters to help children learn about differences and feel included.
• The Glue ear advice for early years children document gives information about glue ear and ways to support your child.
• Oxfordshire Deaf Children’s Society is a local charity offering opportunities for families with deaf children to meet, share support, and have fun together.

For vision needs 

• The Vision Impairment team is part of SENDISS, a countywide Special Educational Needs Disabilities and Inclusion Support Service. We work in partnership to secure good outcomes and a positive future for children and young people with a vision impairment.
• If a child appears to have a vision difficulty that has not been previously identified parents should be contact an optician or the child’s GP. The optician or GP will be able to make a referral to an eye hospital if necessary. Diagnosis of a difficulty by the eye hospital may trigger the involvement of The SENDISS vision impairment (VI) team who will work alongside the school or setting to support the child’s access to learning. 
• My Vision Oxfordshire is a local charity that offers information, advice, and activities for children, young people, and families living with vision impairment. 
• Oxford Health NHS Integrated therapies website includes resources to help parents understand visual perception skills and ways to support their child. 

For physical needs

• Some children with physical difficulties will have had their needs identified at an early age and may already have received support e.g. Cerebral Palsy, Hypermobility, will need ongoing support and interventions. For others, needs may not become apparent until the child is older, and they impact on his/her learning. Some children with physical difficulties may also have hidden learning difficulties such as planning and organisation that impacts their learning e.g. children with Developmental Coordination Disorder/Dyspraxia. The SENDISS Physical Disability Team is a countywide Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) and Inclusion Support Service for children that require ongoing specialist support. Referrals for children under 5 can be made via a Single Point Of Request For Involvement (SPORFI) form. 
• The Oxford Health NHS Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy websites offer activities, videos, and advice to support gross motor, fine motor, and body awareness skills in preschool children.
• Developed by Oxfordshire’s Physical Disability Team, Gross motor movement for play offers guidance on play positions to support children’s physical development and participation.

For multi-sensory impairment

• Referrals to the SENDISS Multi-Sensory Impairment Team come via the child’s paediatrician, audiology department and/or the Eye Hospital, or from the SENDISS Deaf and Hearing Support Team, or SENDISS Vision Impairment Team once a child’s dual sensory loss or potential dual sensory loss is confirmed. Advisory teachers in this team undertake specialist assessment and provide specialist advice for supporting a child’s access to learning with these needs.
• Soundabout is a charity that uses music, sound, and silence to support children and young people with complex needs.
• Developed by the Council for Disabled Children, the Developmental journal for children and young people with multiple needs can help families support children with complex or multiple needs.

National organisations and further information

Alongside local support in Oxfordshire, some families find it helpful to access advice and information from national organisations. These can offer practical guidance, resources, and support for parents and carers.

For hearing needs, the following organisations offer information, advice, family support, and resources for children with hearing loss or deafness:

• National Deaf Children’s Society- this organisation have also produced Success from the start. A resource that can be used to help the families of deaf children and the people that support them to observe, monitor and record the progress that children make.
• Deaf-friendly Early Education is a resource that is available to access through the National Deaf Children’s Society Deaf-friendly early education.pdf
• British Deaf Association
• Royal Association for Deaf People
• Action Deafness

For vision needs, the following organisations offer information, family support, activities, and practical advice for children who are blind or partially sighted:

• Royal National Institute for Blind People (RNIB)
• Information for parents of children with vision impairment | RNIB
• The RNIB Play Guide provides resources and play ideas for young children with vision impairment.
• VICTA | Children and young adults who are blind or partially sighted
• Developed by the Council for Disabled Children, the Developmental journal for children and young people with multiple needs can help you support your child’s development if they have complex or multiple needs
• Story Sack - guidance and ideas

For physical needs and disability, the following organisations provide advice, information, and resources for families of disabled children, including support with communication, equipment, and rights:

• pdnet is a network for those supporting learners with physical disability.
• Scope UK
• Contact: the charity for families with disabled children

For multi-sensory impairment, the following organisations offer information, resources, and support for children with combined hearing and vision needs, and for some children with additional complex needs:

• Sense offers specialist information and support for children with combined hearing and vision needs, and for some children with a sensory impairment alongside additional needs.
• Developed by the Council for Disabled Children, the Developmental journal for children and young people with multiple needs can help you support your child’s development if they have complex or multiple needs 
• Soundabout are a charity that utilises music, sound, and silence to support individuals with learning disabilities and complex needs

The websites and organisations listed above may help you find more detailed information, practical ideas, and support beyond Oxfordshire. You do not need to explore everything at once. It can help to start with the information that feels most relevant to your child and your family.