Early Childhood Vision Professional
Are you an Early Childhood Educator/Special Educator (ECE/ECSE), Teacher of Students with Visual Impariments (TSVI), or Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS)? Do you love working with infants, toddlers, or preschool-age children? Are you interested in having a career where you can influence the lives of young children who are blind or have low vision? If so, becoming an Early Childhood Vision Professional (ECVP) may be the perfect career path for you.
What would some job responsibilities be for an ECVP?
- Teach visual or listening skills to assist a child to look at or respond to a caregiver
- Provide coaching to caregivers that assist child developing skills and confidence to reach and later crawl to a favorite toy.
- Adapt or create multi-sensory books for pre-school and family reading time
- Use early traveling tools such as a child size grocery cart to encourage exploration and independence at home and in the community
- Reinforce developmental skills like dressing and eating during everyday routines.
Where might an ECVP work?
- In homes of families
- Public and private pre-schools
- State agencies and schools for the blind (varies by state)
Where can you go to study to become an ECVP?
A TSVI or COMS may complete early childhood coursework or an ECE/ECSE may complete TSVI and/or COMS coursework. Credential requirements vary by state.