SeeAbility, a charity supporting people who have learning disabilities or autism, who may also have sight loss, has won an NHS contract to extend its Special School Eye Care Service to tens of thousands more children.

In the past year, the Special School Eye Care Service has reached more than 3,000 children in London’s special schools and colleges under a proof-of-concept service contract.

Under the new contract, the charity is expected to support almost 30,000 children in London, as well as 40,000 in the Thames Valley, Hampshire and Isle of Wight, Surrey, Sussex, and Kent and Medway.

Lisa Donaldson, director of eye care and vision at SeeAbility, said: “We are absolutely delighted that most special schools in London and much of the South East will now be able to benefit from SeeAbility’s eye care and glasses provision to optimally support every student to achieve their visual potential.”

She added: “This development follows over a decade of campaigning, research evidencing unmet need, refining models of care and developing a solid evidence base.”

The Special School Eye Care Service includes comprehensive eye care, funded spectacles, support in wearing, and a written report explaining the child or young person’s eye care abilities and needs.

The contract comes after the Government committed to a rollout of sensory checks in special schools in England in 2024.

SeeAbility is now recruiting clinicians who are interested in joining its team to deliver the extended service from next month.