Who we are

SeeAbility is a specialist registered charity supporting people who have multiple disabilities, including visual impairment, learning and physical disabilities, mental health difficulties, acquired brain injury and life limiting conditions.

With specialisms acquired over 200 years, we are the leading experts in this field.

We believe that everyone has ability. We teach and empower people to develop and maintain their skills to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives.

Our approach takes experience, highly trained staff, dedication and patience.

We see this as an investment in a person’s future.

Our expertise

We specialise in supporting people who have a diverse range of multiple needs including autism, brain injury, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy.

We take a holistic approach that addresses the psychological, physiological and emotional needs of each person.

Our highly skilled professional nurses, therapists and rehabilitation practitioners continually seek to broaden and deepen their specialist knowledge to support people more effectively and have developed outstanding awareness and understanding in their respective areas of expertise.

Together with support staff they work as an integrated team and reinforce a learning culture.

We offer this exceptional high quality support in either our own customised accommodation or in a person’s home.
 
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Our history

In the 1700s four philanthropists joined together to found a school for the blind - the first establishment in the south of England to cater for the training and educational needs of young blind people. In 1911 the school was granted Royal Patronage by King George V and became The Royal School for the Blind.

During the early years, the residents were cared for in a very institutional manner, living in dormitory-style accommodation and forbidden to mix with members of the opposite sex. There was little incentive to learn even basic daily living skills as everything was done for them.

By the 1980s the entire ethos of The Royal School for the Blind had changed. The dormitories were gradually re-modelled into flats, residents were able to mix with one another, and the charity refocused its energies on enabling people who are blind or partially sighted with additional disabilities to achieve independence according to their individual potential.

Residents became actively involved in making decisions about how to run their home and their lives. They were encouraged to make informed choices, take responsibility for their lives and develop a realistic understanding of the implications of their actions. The aim was to encourage fuller integration into the wider community and the lifestyles associated with it.

In 1992 the charity expanded its services in community based settings helping people in their own homes and by June 1994 The Royal School for the Blind became SeeAbility, reinforcing our message "Seeing beyond disability".

Today we offer a wide range of services both in the home and in SeeAbility accommodation. We also offer comprehensive training for professionals and work with public sector organisations and local communities.

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