LOOK is excited to present an online event designed specifically for parents and carers, bringing together expert insights and lived experience to offer practical advice on making homes more accessible.
Join us for an informative and interactive session featuring expert speakers, including:
- Emma Williams, Independent Living Skills Teacher from New College Worcester – Sharing strategies to promote independence at home.
- Carol Prescot, Rehabilitation Officer for Visual Impairment – Offering expert advice on movement, mobility, and safe navigation within the home.
- Abbie Reddington, LOOK Mentor with Lived Experience of VI – Providing personal insights and practical tips from a firsthand perspective.
This session is aimed at empowering parents and carers with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to create a supportive home environment that fosters independence, safety, and well-being for their VI children.
Our expert panel will discuss practical ways to make your home more accessible for your VI child. Topics will include simple changes to everyday spaces to improve accessibility, the best technology and assistive tools to support independence, and how lighting and contrast can make a big difference. We’ll also explore how to tailor solutions to your child’s individual needs and share strategies to encourage independence at home.
Each session includes plenty of time for a Q&A, so please be sure to include your questions in the registration to be addressed by our panel of experts.
After the event, we will share detailed resources as well as a recording of the panel talk to listen back to and help you every step of the way.
You’ll need to register for the session before 11 am on the day of the event. This deadline is in place to help safeguard our online events. If you miss this deadline please contact info@look-uk.org on the understanding that we cannot guarantee your participation.
Don’t miss this chance to gain expert advice, ask questions, and connect with other parents and carers! Sign up today, together we can create a more accessible home for your child!
Please note that this session will be recorded and published on podcasting platforms, so if you contribute during the session, you consent to appear in the recording.
Meet the Event Facilitators
Elin Williams – LOOK Events Manager
I am the Events Manager at LOOK; I began as a volunteer mentor sharing my lived experience of VI with others. I am registered blind due to a condition called Lebers Congenital Amaurosis and Nystagmus. I’m a Braille and screen reader user and have just light perception now.
I grew up with sighted parents, siblings and wider family, but now at home, I live with my husband who is also blind, my guide dog and our chaotic cat. One thing that is specific to my home is that almost everything talks. From my microwave to my telly, it’s a very chatty house!
Meet the Guest Speakers
Emma Williams – Independent Living Skills teacher at New College Worcester (NCW).
My Name is Emma Williams and I teach Activities for Daily Living as part of the Independent living skills team at New College Worcester.
The main part of my role is to empower our 16 – 19 year olds but I also have a Y7 form group.
I teach everything from how to safely and independently cook a variety of foods suited to the ability of the student, how to change a lightbulb and tighten screws, how to put on make-up without a mirror and so much more.
I am blind myself and have been since birth and hope I can share some hints and tips I have picked up along the way, to help you empower your young people.
Carol Prescot – Rehabilitation Officer Visual Impairment (ROVI).
I have over 30 years of experience as a specialist support assistant in education. Sixteen years ago, I retrained as a Habilitation Specialist and became part of the Sensory Needs Team in Lancashire. Over two years ago, I transitioned to Cumbria, where I joined Adult Social Care as a Rehabilitation Officer for Visual Impairment.
I have had the privilege to journey, problem solve and share knowledge and experience with children, young people, adults and families from birth to 105. Supporting and advising the VI community all with different abilities to live the lives that they want to live is my passion.
When not in work I have the Cumbrian fells to walk and a family of humans and animals to keep me out of trouble!
Abbie Reddington – Mentor and Neurological Occupational Therapist.
Hi, I’m Abbie! I’m a LOOK Mentor and have a condition called Aniridia, which also affects several members of my family. I’m also a trained Occupational Therapist, working with patients with neurological conditions, including those experiencing visual impairment caused by neurological conditions.
LOOK offers a wide range of resources to support parents and carers as they navigate their child’s sight loss journey. From mental health support and self-advocacy skills to money management and more, our extensive database provides practical guidance every step of the way.