Joe’s story 

As an Habilitation Specialist at a London day and residential school, Joe’s a source of professional support for young people with vision and sensory impairment. He helps to develop their skills, so that they can become as independent as possible. But in his personal life, he and his family have, in turn, benefited from the support that RSBC can provide. 

Joe has vision impairment, caused by congenital cataracts (cloudiness in the lens of the eye) and nystagmus (where the eyes make uncontrolled movement). And he’s Dad to two young sons, Noah, aged 9, and Lyle, 3, who have the same eye conditions. 

Signposting families to organisations that can give them additional support and guidance is part of the day job for Joe, but his busy work life meant that it took a while for him to think about finding additional help for his own family. The trigger was when Noah was diagnosed with ADHD. Joe says, “I looked into the kind of support that was available, and we accessed the Families First service so that he could explore his vision impairment in more detail with an expert practitioner. The process was so easy. 

“A Family Practitioner came to see Noah at home and at school, and gave us the information and support we needed. They’ve been so good at keeping in contact since, too. I don’t know what we’d have done without having someone we can speak to – someone who understands Noah and his needs. He was quite resistant to receiving any support initially, but he’s become more open to it recently.” 

Since first contacting RSBC, Joe’s been able to take Noah and Lyle to enjoy different events at the charity’s Life Without Limits Centre in London. “We’ve loved them!” Joe smiles. “While other organisations are also doing very positive things, in-person events and activities often aren’t an option because of where they’re based. We live in Hounslow, and I don’t drive, so the Centre’s very accessible for us. Recently, we went along to the Ark day, where the boys got to meet all kinds of animals, from geckos to chinchillas. The vibe at RSBC’s events is really chilled. There’s no pressure at all to join in – you can have a go, or you can sit back until you feel ready.” 

Joe’s delighted that younger children like Lyle are able to join in the fun. “RSBC does its best to make sure that everyone’s included, whereas many services only cater to the over 5’s. It’s great to be able to take part in their activities. There were so many events over the summer, and Noah, Lyle and I can’t wait to see what’s planned next!” 

On a personal and professional level, Joe says he’s impressed by RSBC – what it does, and how it supports the families of vision impaired children. “I’ve met other families who have received support, and they’re real RSBC advocates. It’s no wonder, because I can’t praise the staff highly enough myself. They’re all so passionate about what they do – that’s something that comes across loud and clear.” 

Joe wants to spread the word about the good work that RSBC’s doing, so that other families can benefit from the services available. “At work, I include the link to RSBC’s website in my reports to parents, alongside others that may be relevant, so that they can have a look at what’s available and decide the way forward that’s right for them. And it’s important that families know that RSBC can refer them to other services, because there are so many other kids who are experiencing the same things that Noah and Lyle are going through.” 

Looking for support, advice and guidance? Find out more about RSBC’s Families First service. Or to our What’s on page for the latest activities for you and your family.