Management Information Sheet
Zookeeper Zoe vision and eye health initiative to complement Norfolk's Vision Screening Pathway
Norfolk Library and Information Service and Education Library Service whole community Healthy Libraries partnership project with Boots Opticians branches in Norfolk.
A resource created in partnership between Boots Opticians and the National Literacy Trust, to highlight the link between eye health and literacy and raise awareness that children's vision and eye health change as they grow and should be checked regularly, is at the heart of this county wide initiative.
The Zookeeper Zoe book delivered to you in the January 2017 school courier is to support vision and eye health in your pupils and complements the Vision Screening Pathway for Norfolk children. This is a gift for your school library - to be looked at in school and for children to take home to share with parents and carers. Time is one of the most precious commodities and this activity may not appear to be a priority, however it is estimated that one million children have an undiagnosed vision problem in the UK and 80% of a child's learning occurs through sight. An undiagnosed vision problem can affect a child's ability to concentrate as well as to learn.
All schools with children under 11, as well as all libraries and mobile libraries in Norfolk, have been sent this picture book for children. It includes simple checks to help work out if a child may have a problem with their sight and need a professional vision or eye health check, as well as helping establish if children have difficulty identifying particular colours. And it's an engaging story to share! The tests are suitable for children that are verbal, but children don't need to be able to read to engage with the checks.
This new initiative is in addition to, and complements the current Vision Screening Pathway for children in Norfolk: any concerns about the vision of under 5 year olds should always be referred to the GP, who can make a referral to the hospital based paediatric eye clinic. The Vision Screening Pathway means that routine vision testing is offered to all Reception year children at school. If any problems are picked up at that point, the children are referred to a hospital based paediatric eye clinic.
It's never too early to let parents know about the free checks (from the NHS for all under 16s) that they should be arranging for and taking their children to regularly once they start school. Children's eyes change as they grow, which is why regular check-ups are important. After the routine eye test for children in Reception, all Year 2 children should at some point be taken to an optician for a free vision and eye health check by their parents / carers. The Zookeeper Zoe book raises awareness and encourages taking all children five to 16 to any optician for a free vision and eye health check at least every two years, or more often if there appear to be any problems in between regular check-ups, just as children should be regularly taken to the dentist.
Early detection and timely referral and treatment for vision problems can improve the literacy of all children affected, but research shows that people from deprived areas often delay eye checks because of the cost of glasses. Local Boots Opticians staff have said that they often see children after their vision problems have already had a negative impact on their education and development.
Boots Opticians staff are supporting this initiative by providing the books to be distributed and offering to raise awareness as volunteers by participating in sessions held in Norfolk libraries as part of the award winning Healthy Libraries project. Depending on location and capacity, Boots Opticians staff may also be able to volunteer time to work in schools that have signed up to the www.bootsvisionscreen.co.uk initiative and gained parental consent, for example for Year 2 or older children to have checks at school, using resources that are free as part of this initiative. You can register, if you are interested in this, at www.literacytrust.org.uk/schools_challenge . This video link, www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaJLcM3na2A, explains how the Boots Opticians Vision Screening programme works.
The Zookeeper Zoe book is also available in digital form for free at www.zookeeperzoe.co.uk; an IOS and Android app is also available to support putting the child at ease eye during their eye examination experiences.
And remember, all of this is intended to complement, not replace, the routine checks carried out for Reception children.
If you would like to put something in your school's newsletter the text below may be helpful:
| Did you know that all children 5-16 years old should have a free vision and eye health check at least every two years at an opticians? Routine vision testing is offered to all Reception year children at school. If any problems are picked up at that point, children are referred to a hospital based paediatric eye clinic, but children's eyes change as they grow and some problems aren't obvious, which is why regular check-ups are important, just as you take your children regularly to the dentist. 'Look' out for the Zookeeper Zoe picture books with integrated eye tests for all children, in your local library or mobile library, to help get your child used to the idea of regular eye checks. Our school library also has a copy and some Boots Opticians may still have free copies left too. |
For more information please contact Alison Frost, Service Support Librarian - Children, alison.frost@norfolk.gov.uk.
A brief note from Kirsten Francis:
I am moving on to a new role in the NHS working for Children and Young People's Health Services Norfolk as the Head of Locality - South Norfolk. I have enjoyed meeting teaching staff with my libraries hat on and I look forward to working in partnership, including with schools, to support health outcomes for children and young people from January 2017.