RWPN

There are around 450 registered Vision Rehabilitation Specialists (sometimes called Rehabilitation Officers Visual Impairment, or ROVIs) and around 120 Qualified Habilitation Specialists working in the United Kingdom.   We formally adopted the term Vision Rehabilitation Specialist (VRS) in 2022 - here's why.

Rehabilitation and Habilitation

We believe that Rehabilitation and Habilitation are two distinct, separate disciplines under the one professional umbrella; both teach a similar range of independence skills but the way they are delivered, and the context they are delivered in, are different and require very different approaches. Vision Rehabilitation Specialists work predominantly with people over 18 and Qualified Habilitation Specialists work with children and young people (0-25).  Professionals from both disciplines are employed in a number of different settings. These include adult social services, pre-school schools and colleges, children’s social services, the NHS and national and regional voluntary organisations. A few practitioners work in a freelance capacity or via specialist agency providers.