A Single Strategy for Sensory Needs - The Highland Council

The DDA and other initiatives are creating momentum towards the attitudinal and cultural shift that is necessary if meaningful
improvements are to take place. When people do become “aware,” the shock realisation that often occurs can be a positive
force for change.
In many ways sensory services are only beginning to appear on the horizon.
The main barriers to “Access” identified in this working group included:
Access to Communication, Mobility and Information (CMI) support and services appropriate to the individual needs of people
on the “Sensory Continuum”
It was felt that these services are still at fairly fledgling levels, and that there is significant lack of infrastructure and resources
locally and nationally to develop necessary improvements to make even “specialist” sensory services adequately accessible to
people.
It was felt that developing Best Practice Standards/Models within sensory services initially might be a useful way to lead the
example to mainstream services.
The aspiration is for individual CMI needs to be provided for in an “Equalities” context within all services and opportunities.
Access to equitable services across Highland Council
Fundamentally it was felt that specialist services are not adequately resourced, though there is good joint working and there is
a commitment to making best use of existing resources. However this commitment is significantly hampered by the thin spread
of scarce resources.
There is a clear desire for specialist services to be easily accessible (irrespective of location), and models need to be developed
to achieve appropriate balance.
There needs to be raised sensory awareness and provision within local communities, (raising of mainstream standards), whilst
knowing when and where to access the specialists.
Access to buildings in the sensory context is principally about a combination of people skills and the use of modern technology.
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Complex Needs (Adults and Children)
The term complex needs mean different things to different people at different stages of their lives. It is therefore very
important to be clear as to who we are referring to within this strategy document when we describe someone as having
complex support needs.