ChildVision campus opens up the world for children with sight loss
Lorna Walker with Layla at the Montessori. Photograph: Alan Betson
This trend highlights the vital importance of continued expansion and improvements at what started out, more than 150 years ago, as “St Joseph’s asylum for the male blind”. It was opened in Drumcondra Castle in 1870 by the Carmelite Brothers. That building, alongside a redbrick Victorian addition, are still an integral part of the country’s only dedicated centre for children with visual impairment, where ChildVision now employs 160 staff, according to acting chief executive Mary Leonard.
A graduation cap and gown lying on a table in the Montessori Room is a sign that “transition” is in the air for this group of children. They are preparing to move on to the adjoining St Joesph’s primary school, or to mainstream national schools where they will be supported by the visiting teacher service.
A Leaving Certificate maths book can take up to 45 volumes of single-sided pages, says Katharine Howe, manager of ChildVision’s Reading Services. This unit will convert any book required by a child with sight loss at any mainstream or special school in the country free. Whether it is large print, Braille or digital depends on the needs of the child. And be it for Irish, French, computer science or whatever subject, no text book defeats the 21 staff here who transcribe up to 7,000 books a year.
Aideen Brady, library and information officer, with tactile books for teaching pre-Braille skills. Photograph: Alan Betson Cian, who is one of 22 students on the five-year, lifelong-learning programme, says what he likes about CanDo is “being in an actual workplace rather than an educational place all the time. In my opinion there is only so much you can learn from a book.” Soap-making, which has expanded into other, all-natural skincare products, was the brainchild of lifelong learning staff member Jason Chapman, after seeing handmade soap on sale during a visit to Bloom.
“It’s community spirit,” says chief executive Leonard, “and it’s great for our students to meet members of the public as well.”
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