Sight and hearing loss

The sensory team, within the Enabling Independence Team provide a service for people with a sight and/or hearing loss.

Sensory service

We offer information, advice and guidance, orientation and mobility training, hearing aid management training and some assistive equipment/aids; if needed this could help you to manage your sight and/or hearing loss independently.

What to do if you are worried about your hearing or sight

If you are worried about your sight or hearing, please visit your doctor or optician. You can also use the following NHS online resources.

To make a referral to the Sensory Team

You may self-refer, or ask a friend or relative, Doctor or Optician, Audiologist or Ophthalmologist to refer you to our services.

Post: Disability Service Sensory Team, Dagenham Library F01 1 Church Elm Lane Dagenham RM10 9QS
Telephone: 020 8227 2915
E-mail: intaketeam@lbbd.gov.uk

Please provide your full name and address, date of birth, the reason for the referral and any medical evidence (such as Certificate of Visual Impairment and/or Audiogram) if possible.

Useful information

Useful Information handout 2025 VI Large Print (PDF, 138.19 KB)

Useful Information handout 2025 VI Large Print (DOCX, 108.92 KB)

Useful information handout 2025 DB  (PDF, 163.54 KB)

Useful information handout 2025 DB (DOCX, 119.61 KB)

Audiology Services information (PDF, 130.95 KB)

Audiology Services information (DOCX, 91.66 KB)

Emergency 999 or Medical 111 or COVID19 119 in BSL 2022 (PDF, 325KB)

Registration

When we receive a copy of your Certificate of Visual Impairment (CVI) or Audiogram we will register your sight and/or hearing loss with LBBD and send you a Registration Card with a Letter offering you a home visit to assess your needs. This registration is voluntary, and you may add or remove your name at any time.

Gov.uk Guidance: Certificate of Visual Impairment

Registration of sight and/or hearing loss

If you are registered as sight impaired/partially sighted, severely sight impaired/blind, deaf or hard of hearing, you may be able to claim certain benefits.  For example, you may be entitled to a Freedom Pass, Blue Badge, Taxi Card, Personal Independent Payment (PIP) or Attendance Allowance (if over 65).  And some services offer concessions.

Getting out and about

The sensory assessment

If you have a sight and/or hearing loss that is affecting your day to day life, an assessment could help you. This could be to help with:

  • communication Needs
  • access to information and advice
  • social and emotional wellbeing
  • getting out and about
  • managing day to day living
  • employment

The outcome of this assessment will be a Support Plan which may include:

  1. Rehabilitation training such as hearing aid use and management, daily living skills, or orientation and mobility training.
  2. Referral for a Personal Budget to help fund assistance with communication needs, care needs or access to the community.
  3. Assistive technology and equipment.
  4. Information about local social groups and activities
  5. Signposting to other agencies and services.

Is it confidential?

We will treat the information you give us during your assessment as confidential. We always ask for your permission to share with other professionals providing services to meet your needs.

If you are eligible for support?

Some of your care and support needs may require additional funding. A means-tested financial assessment will be required.  This will determine whether we are able to fund some or all your services.

Meeting the Sensory Team 

The Sensory Team are available for an informal face to face contact at Barking Learning Centre or Dagenham Library, no appointment required.

Drop-in services on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Dagenham Library and VI social groups at both Dagenham Library and Barking Learning Centre on Wednesday or Friday; please find more information below.

Deaf drop-in service (BSL and non BSL users) 

Deaf drop-in service (PDF, 156.12 KB)

Deaf drop-in service (PDF, 111.61 KB)

Please visit Dagenham Library at the times shown below if you need information, advice or guidance related to your hearing loss or accessibility needs.

The Deaf Community Worker, Maryan Ahmed is available face to face every Tuesday at 1pm to 3pm and the Dual Sensory Worker Bernadette Wakeling is available face to face every Thursday 2pm to 4pm.

For online support, please email: sensory@lbbd.gov.uk

Digital Ability Inclusion Drop-in

Do you have difficulties accessing information because of a hearing loss, or sight loss, or both? Learn how to use accessibility tools and Apps on your mobile phone, tablet, or laptop with guidance from the sensory team.

Digital Ability Inclusion Drop-in 2026 (PDF, 162.28 KB)

Digital Ability Inclusion Drop-in 2026 (DOCX, 319 KB)

Sensory Awareness information and events

Small Scale Events: Sensory Team Information stands

World Hearing Day - 3 March

Workshop about Meta glasses during MD group by local optician, Parag Joshi from Care optics - 4 March at Barking Learning Centre.  Please see the following flyers for more information Macular Society Group 2025 (DOC, 111.5 KB) and Macular Society Group 2025 (PDF, 44.76 KB)

Living with Sight Loss Workshop - 1 April at Barking Learning Centre.  Please see the following flyer for more information Living with sight loss workshop flyer (PDF, 250.49 KB)

Deafblind Awareness Week - 23 June to 29 June - improving accessibility and inclusion empowering deafblind adults and children.

Older Persons Awareness Day – 1 October

World Sight Day – 14 October.  Barking and Dagenham Talking Newspaper are celebrating 50 years of service at Barking Learning Centre, Conference Centre; more information to be added soon.

International day of persons with disabilities - 3 December

Large Scale Sensory Team Events

Please refer to small scale events above for details about upcoming events in March and April 2026.

Large scale event to be confirmed.