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| Page last updated: Friday 11 January, 2008 10:26 AM | |
Of course, we can put our head in the sand and claim that the survey doesn't truly reflect the numbers of specialists but why not? At rehabworker.co.uk we have five times as many contacts on our e-mail list as the SCA has members - remember, this organisation is supposedly the 'Professional Body'. I'm not knocking the SCA at all but what have they done to find out about the numbers or indeed, to promote the Rehabilitation Specialist? The survey carried out by Guidedogs in late 2006 also suggested a decline so why would we believe otherwise?
When you look around, where does support for the profession come from? The major charities have not only removed themselves from training the specialists they compound this by not promoting the specialism for the clients they assure us they serve. The ADSS shows little sign of supporting the profession in any way - perhaps they have 'bigger fish to fry' - let's hope none of them ever need any help with the impact of a serious sight problem.
For many years, Rehabilitation Specialists have been unable (or unwilling) to adequately articulate their specialism to the decision makers thereby feeding an ignorance that remains today. In contrast, the professionals in the USA enjoy a status that we in the UK can only envy - there is even a 'White Cane Day' that's been established for years.
As a result of a 1964 congressional resolution, the President of the United States annually issues a proclamation designating October 15th as “National White Cane Safety Day.”
The National Federation of the Blind, a leading organization for the blind, has established the third week in May as “White Cane Week.”
Wouldn't it be a pleasant change if the RNIB would promote the specialist worker in the UK in the same way? Days like these have their limitations but it does tend to focus people's minds on visual impairment - even for just a short time. This would give local specialists, Social Services and charities the opportunity to host events in order to spread the word.
I cannot think of any other profession where there is so little support from the major players - perhaps this is because if there were any, they have now died off.
Let's hope this decline is viewed as a disaster for people with a visual impairment and that at least one brave soul in the decision making process will grasp the nettle and start to redress the balance.
What do you think e-mail your thoughts to info@rehabworker.co.uk