The role of rehabilitation services in the academic and social emotional development of children and young people with neurodevelopmental disorders: a case study of vision impairment

The current chapter discusses the positive role of rehabilitation services in the lives of children and young people with neurodevelopmental disorders such as sensory impairments and also identifies gaps in current research and practice. Despite the increasing number of children and young people with neurodevelopmental disorders, current research on the effects of rehabilitation support on the academic achievement and social emotional development of this population remains very limited. However, financial investment in providing such support to vulnerable student populations may avoid future costs to both the health and social care budgets. To further highlight the impact of rehabilitation support on children and youth with neurodevelopmental disorders, findings from a case study conducted in a UK-based rehabilitation service is presented and discussed. The findings highlight the benefits of habilitation and rehabilitation support in daily life, academic learning and social emotional development of children and adolescents with vision impairment and additional needs.