Florida Families of Children with Visual Impairments

Have you just learned that your child is visually impaired or blind? If so, Florida Families of Children with Visual Impairments, or FFCVI, is here to help.

Members of FFCVI know that learning that your child has a visual impairment can be overwhelming. There are many organizations to help your child.   FFCVI can help you find local resources that can assist you get services for your child.  These services might include early intervention specialists, teachers of the blind and visually impaired, or orientation and mobility specialists. And if you are looking for other parents and families to talk to, there is FFCVI.

About FFCVI

FFCVI is a non-profit organization that was created by Florida parents for Florida parents. This organization, founded in 1999, focuses on the unique needs of families with blind or visually impaired children, including those with other disabilities.

FFCVI was established to help develop opportunities for families with similar challenges and experiences to network and share information and support. FFCVI is the state affiliate of NAPVI, the National Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments that was established in 1979.

Mission and Purpose

The mission of FFCVI is to facilitate interaction among Florida families with children who are blind or visually impaired, including those with other disabilities, so that they may acquire information, support, and confidence to meet the unique needs of their children and become their best advocate.

The primary purpose of FFCVI is to

  • provide reliable information
  • extend support to Florida families

This information and support is provided at every stage of their children’s lives from birth through adulthood.

FFCVI offers emotional support, coping skills and relief from feelings of isolation that many families experience, especially upon learning that their child is blind or has a visual impairment. FFCVI provides invaluable information and resources through meetings, correspondence, publications, e-mail, and telephone contact.

FFCVI Services

The following gives you a brief list of what FFCVI provides:

  • Parent meetings and family events, which not only provide valuable information, but a chance to get support from other families who have children who are blind or visually impaired.
  • Information on educational choices and rights for children who are blind and visually impaired.
  • Information on current legislative activity affecting our children.
  • Activities to increase public awareness and promote more accurate perceptions of a blind or visually impaired child’s abilities and help parents, families, educators, and health professionals raise the level of expectation for each child.
  • Activities to foster communication and collaboration among ALL agencies and organizations involved with providing services to our families.
  • A newsletter, The Vision, is published and distributed to all FFCVI members. It is available in print, Braille, Spanish, and electronic format.
  • FFCVI website, http://www.ffcvi.org, has information on national, statewide, and local events, resources, legislative updates, and other matters of concern to our families.

FFCVI participates in many events and conferences sponsored by other organizations such as the Florida Division of Blind Services, Florida Instructional Materials Center for the Visually Impaired, and other agencies serving the blind. FFCVI offers a limited number of family scholarships to help defray the cost of attending these meetings.

Reasons to Join FFCVI

There are many reasons to join FFCVI! As a parent of a newly diagnosed baby or child, you may be seeking support and knowledge from other families who are dealing with the same issues and emotions as you are. You may need information on the services your school-age child is or is not receiving, or you may have years of experience that could benefit countless other parents. We want to hear from you so please contact us today!