2024–2025 Services delivered: Blind Low Vision
Component: Early Intervention
Legislation: Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017
Service description
The Blind Low Vision (BLV) program provides integrated, family-centred early intervention supports and services for babies in Ontario born blind or with low vision and for those who develop blindness or low vision in early childhood. These services include child and family-centred education, and support for parents/caregivers so that they can promote the healthy development of their child.
People served
BLV provides services to children from birth to school entry who are blind, have low vision or visual impairment, and their families.
Program/service features
Blind Low Vision BLV services are provided and delivered primarily by Early Childhood Vision Consultants (ECVCs) and Family Support Workers. Services and supports are provided to mitigate the impact of a visual impairment on the child’s development, and are offered in the child’s home, in childcare and community settings.
Specific service provided
The following service components must be delivered in accordance with the Blind Low Vision Early Intervention Program Guidelines Document 2020
- information and learning opportunities to support the understanding of the diagnosis and optimize the use of the child’s vision and other senses
- referral and access to other community services
- family Consultation – using a family-centred parent/caregiver mentoring approach incorporating family guided routine-based intervention which integrates the required assessment and planning tools
- childcare consultation
- collaboration with the family and other members of the early intervention team
- supporting school transition
- services that are child and family-centred and support the diverse needs of families in a way that is culturally safe, promotes equity, anti-racism, and anti- oppression
Program goals
The BLV goals are
- to help the parents/caregivers of children with visual impairments gain knowledge about their child’s learning style, allowing them to support their child’s early development to support community inclusion as an important component to learning
Ministry expectations
BLV is managed in accordance with the Blind Low Vision Early Intervention Program Guidelines Document 2020 or any subsequent updated versions (or any other supporting policy documents provided by the ministry).
Program targets
- average age of child at referral: less than 24 months
- average wait-time from referral to first intervention: less than 12 weeks
Reporting requirements
Service and financial data will be reported in Transfer Payment Ontario at an Interim and Final period, informed by IRSS Monitoring Reports. Please refer to your final agreement for report back due dates.
| Service data name | Definition |
|---|---|
| Ministry-funded agency expenditures: BLV | Total ministry-funded expenses for the Transfer Payment Recipient to administer and/or deliver this service in the Funding Year (cumulative). |
| # of Referred Children: BLV | The total number of children referred to the BLV program during the reporting period, as reported in the IRSS Monitoring Report for Question 1. |
| # of Individuals receiving their First Intervention: BLV | The total number of children that received their first intervention of any type during the reporting period, as reported in the IRSS Monitoring Report for Question 2. |
| # of individuals served (total): BLV | The unique number of children that received interventions during the reporting period. A child is counted only once per Funding Year. Report the same value as the total value reported in the IRSS Monitoring Report for Question 3. |
| # of individuals waiting for service initiation (total): BLV | The total number of children who are waiting for service initiation (children have been referred but not yet received service) during the reporting period. Report the same value as reported in the IRSS Monitoring Report for Question 7. |
| Average age at referral (months): BLV | Average age of children at referral (in months) during the Funding Year. Report the same value as the total value as reported in the IRSS Monitoring Report for Question 5. |
| Average wait time from referral to first intervention (# of Weeks): BLV | The average number of weeks waited for BLV first intervention (from referral date to the date of first intervention) during the Funding Year. Report the same value as reported in the IRSS Monitoring Report for Question 6. |
| Average wait time from referral to assessment (# of weeks): BLV | The average number of weeks waited for BLV assessment (from referral date to date of first assessment) during the Funding Year. The average wait time is calculated by adding the total wait times for all individuals, dividing by the total number of individuals who entered assessment during the reporting period. Assessment refers to the occurrence of the first meeting with the Early Childhood Vision Consultant to begin the process of identifying the child’s skills, sensory functioning and needs. |
A supplementary report providing additional information about these services may be required (reporting template and dates to be provided separately).