Blatchington Court Trust supports children and young people who are blind or partially sighted by providing equipment to aid their visual impairment.
Applications will be considered for children and young people who are registered or are registrable as blind (SSI) or partially sighted (SI) up to and including the age of 29 years and who reside permanently in Sussex. All items supplied through our grant scheme are for home use only (not for school or college), unless there has been a special arrangement between the Trust and the local Authority’s teams of qualified Teachers for Visual Impairment (QTVI’s).All applications must be supported by a QTVI or another professional if the applicant is over 16.
Successful applicants will be asked for a contribution towards the grant – generally, this is 10% for most equipment and 20% for iPads or 50% if the child is under the age of 7. However, this can vary at the discretion of the Trustees and will be different when equipment is joint funded by the local authority/sensory needs service and Blatchington Court Trust.
Criteria
- Laptops will only be funded if there is a need for access software, i.e JAWS, Supernova, Guide, NVDa, Zoomtext
- Applicants will be requested to contribute towards the cost of an Apple computer if the cost is more than a standard laptop with access software.
- Only one grant for equipment i.e computer, electronic magnifier or sensory equipment will be awarded to an applicant within a two-year period
- iPads are subject to either a 20% contribution or 50% contribution if the child is under the age of 7.
- There must be at least 3 years gap between applying for a replacement computer or IPad.
- Funding will only be given for an IPad and laptop with accessible software if there is at least a 1 year gap between applications and the need for having both is fully supported by a professional.
- Braille Note takers will only be considered for children over the age of 11 years
- Only one Braille Note taker will be supplied to any one applicant
- Only one grant of up to £3000 will be given towards the cost of any specialist piece of VI technology (except for a Braillenote) , and in these instances, the Trust will require proof that additional funding has been secured.
- An individual may receive a maximum of 50 1:1 swimming, music or similar lessons
- A Maximum of 2 years additional 1:1 support at nursery if statutory funding not available
Items not covered
- Mobile phones
- IPods, Kindles etc
- Daily living equipment i.e talking scales, easy grip cutlery, talking microwaves, talking clocks and watches
- Household white goods
- Vehicles
- Building or garden maintenance or adaptations
- Travel costs to and from school/college or hospital appointments
- Funding for respite care
- Funding for child care
- Family holidays
- Payment towards subscriptions, maintenance, insurance or extended warranties
- Education fees
- Nursery or holiday play scheme fees
- Wheelchairs or other equipment which is not specifically to support the child’s/young person’s visual impairment
- Any individual item of equipment under £100
- Any repairs to equipment i.e replacement power supply, screens etc.
All grants are dependent on available funding.