Portsmouth MP Stephen Morgan backs All Things Equal campaign from Guide Dogs charity

At a parliamentary event hosted by the charity, Stephen Morgan, MP for Portsmouth South, met families to talk about the challenges children face in the education system.

The MP said: ‘It was a pleasure to join Guide Dogs charity, families and dogs to hear about its All Things Equal campaign in Parliament this week.

‘80% of our learning is through sight and that’s why children with sight loss in Portsmouth and across the country need specialist support and services.

‘Yet all too often children with sight loss are not being given the adjustments they need. I will continue to speak up in Parliament to secure the support children with sight loss need.’

Recent research conducted for Guide Dogs found that 69 per cent of teachers lack confidence that they have the right skills to support disabled children, including those with a vision impairment, to reach their full potential.

Blanche Shackleton, head of policy, public Affairs and campaigns at Guide Dogs said: ‘Children and young people with vision impairment tell us they want to grow up enjoying the same opportunities as their classmates. But all too often, they are being let down by the education system that fails to give them the support they need.

‘We know that the lack of support in childhood can have a far-reaching impact. Just one in four working age adults with a vision impairment are in employment.

‘That is why we are calling on the Government to make all things equal for children and young people with vision impairment, so that they have access to the support they need.’