Rehabilitation worker – visual impairment

Rehabilitation workers carry out assessments for visually impaired people, to see how the effects of their impairment can be managed and their situation improved.

Also known as:

• Blind person’s support worker

Work activities

The rehabilitation worker’s first task is to assess the client, to find out what their needs are. Then they plan, deliver, monitor and regularly review the client’s training programme. The aim of the rehabilitation worker is to enable the client to be as independent as possible. They work with the client on a one-to-one basis, giving advice, guidance and counselling.

They help the client to learn and develop skills in communication, mobility and practical tasks. For example, training can enable the client to travel independently, cook and do other domestic tasks. Clients are from a wide age range and have many different types and degrees of visual impairment. For example, visual problems may restrict a child’s mobility, and affect their self-esteem and ability to take part in school activities. Rehabilitation workers work with sighted people, like teachers, commercial company staff and voluntary care workers. Their aim is to raise people’s awareness of the needs of visually impaired people and, in some cases, to teach them basic guiding skills.

Personal qualities and skills

As a rehabilitation worker, you need:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• The ability to listen carefully and ask the right questions to find out more about clients’ needs.
• The ability to establish a constructive relationship with clients.
• A supportive attitude and a practical approach to problem solving.
• Administrative and organisational skills.
• The ability to work as part of a team with other professionals.
• The ability to encourage sighted people’s awareness of the needs of people with a visual impairment.
• IT and writing skills, to produce clear assessments.

Pay and opportunities

Salaries for rehabilitation workers vary. The pay rates given are approximate. Rehabilitation workers earn in the range of £14,000 up to £25,000 with experience.

Rehabilitation workers usually work a basic 35-40-hour week, Monday to Friday. Part-time opportunities are also available.

Opportunities for rehabilitation workers occur throughout the UK. Local authority social services departments employ most rehabilitation workers. They work in residential or day centres or visit clients in their own homes in the local area. Other employers are voluntary organisations, for example, Guide Dogs, and special schools.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised in local/national newspapers, on job boards, on employers’ websites, on the Government’s Find a Job and Find an Apprenticeship services.

Entry routes and training

Birmingham City University offers the professional qualification, which is a foundation degree in rehabilitation work (visual impairment). Some other universities/course providers offer similar courses. You should check to make sure that a course you are interested in is accepted by employers as providing qualified status. During your degree course, you will spend up to half of the time on placement.

With experience, it is possible to progress to supervisory and management positions.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act: This career is an exception to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that you must supply information to an employer about any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, if they ask you to. This is different from other careers, where you only have to reveal information on unspent convictions if you are asked to.

Qualifications

For entry to a degree course in rehabilitation work (visual impairment), the guide entry requirement (for 2024 entry) is:

• Grades 4+ in GCSE English language or literature and maths.
• Two A-levels providing 48 UCAS tariff points, or equivalent qualification.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Entry to a foundation degree course in rehabilitation work (visual impairment) requires candidates to demonstrate their aptitude for rehabilitation work and their ability to study at higher education level. Skills and abilities gained in any of the caring professions are useful.

Related careers

• Assistance dog trainer
• Occupational therapist
• Orthotist/prosthetist
• Special educational needs teacher
• Speech and language therapist