The Visual Impairment Team supports children and adults who are sight impaired, severely sight impaired, deafblind and their carers.
If you or someone you know has difficulties due to vision loss that cannot be corrected by glasses or medical treatment, we may be able to help.
How we can we help
Firstly, we can have a discussion with you about how you manage day to day. Following this, we may be able to offer you support to help combat any difficulties.
The support may include things like:
- information and advice (including the registration process)
- signposting to other agencies
- visual impairment awareness guidance
- a specialist assessment - where we discuss your difficulties in more depth
Following an assessment you may be eligible for:
- specialist equipment
- rehabilitation support (mobility training, re-learning how to manage daily tasks)
- habilitation training (specifically for children)
- a direct payment to purchase equipment or practical support
- home visits
- carer’s assessment
Our aim is to enable you to live as independently as possible in the community.
Contact the Visual Impairment Team
For advice and information or to request an assessment please contact:
Visual Impairment Team
Bedford Borough Council
Borough Hall
Cauldwell Street
Bedford MK42 9AP (18+)
Tel: 01234 718318
Email: visualimpairment@bedford.gov.uk
Local services
- Family Information Service - Bedford Borough Council
- Carers in Bedfordshire
- Central Bedfordshire Family and Youth Information Service
- Children with Disabilities Register - Bedford Borough
- Children with Disabilities Register – Central Bedfordshire
- Disability Resource Centre
- Families United Network
- Keech Hospice
- Macular Society - local support groups
- Sight Concern Bedfordshire
- Special Needs Action Panel (SNAP) Central Bedfordshire
- Sure Start Children’s Centres
- Toy Library
National organisations
- Albinism Fellowship
- Aniridia Network UK
- Blind in Business
- British Wireless for the Blind Fund
- Childhood Eye Cancer Trust
- Contact: the charity for families with disabled children
- Deafblind UK
- Diabetes UK
- Eye Care Liaison Officers (RNIB)
- Guide Dogs UK
- In Touch Programme
- Glaucoma UK
- Laurence-Moon-Bardet-Biedl Society
- LOOK – National Federation of Families with Visually Impaired Children
- Nystagmus Network
- Royal National Institute of Blind People
- Sense
- Sight Advice FAQ
- Stickler Syndrome Support Group
- Microphthalmia, Anophthalmia and Coloboma Support (MACS)
- The Partially Sighted Society
- Retina UK
Services for children and young people with a visual impairment
- Bedfordshire and Luton Children’s Community Eye Service
- The Jobs Hub - Connect to Work (18+)
- Child Development Centre Bedford
- Children With Disabilities Team
- Edwin Lobo Child Development Centre (Central Bedfordshire)
- Low Vision Service - Sight Concern Bedfordshire
- Visual Impairment Team (Education) Bedford Borough
Financial information - benefits
- Blind Person's Allowance
- Citizens Advice Bureau
- Department for Work and Pensions
- Disability benefits
- Jobcentre Plus
Financial information - Blue Badge Scheme concession
Financial information - bus and rail concessions
Financial information - leisure
- Cinema Exhibitors’ Association Card concession
- Family Fund
- Half price TV Licence™ concession
- Leisure concessions – contact your local venue for details of available concessions
- Visually Impaired Children Taking Action (VICTA)