Resource center opening for visually-impaired kids

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Children who are blind and visually impaired can receive care in central Indiana.

A ribbon cutting ceremony will take place outside The Simon & Estelle Knoble Family Resource Center 10:30 a.m. on Thursday.

It’s owned and operated by Visually Impaired Preschool Services (VIPS).

Support services are free for families.

VIPS normally does in-home early intervention with children 3 years old and younger.

Now families can come to one place for assistance.

Inside is a large play area for kids with walls written in braille.

There are a lot of sensory and therapeutic hands-on things for kids to get into.

The space is ADA accessible with classrooms, a doctor’s office, kitchen and a library with braille books.

VIPS Regional Director Meredith Howell told News 8 much of the furniture is dark in color to avoid over visual stimulation for children.

The resource center will allow for more programming and training sessions.

Howell said staff members will continue to work with kids’ emotional needs as well as their developmental, social and cognitive skills.

“We want them to be able to come to VIPS and know that the coffee is on, that there are snacks in the refrigerator if they need them, there are people here with empathetic ears with big hearts and that we are along them on this journey and parenting,” Howell said. “It’s a scary thing to go through knowing that your baby is going to be blind and so we want them to know that they’re not alone on this journey.”

Howell mentioned some families have already gotten a sneak peek inside during a soft opening last week and the feedback has been great.