National Sibling’s Day

April 8, 2024
Today, we’re celebrating National Siblings Day at RSBC, and shining a light on the very important relationships that siblings have.
We know that, while many young people have a unique and special bond with their vision impaired siblings, growing up alongside them can be tough at times. Sisters and brothers sometimes need our support, too.
And so, our team of Family Practitioners can offer siblings emotional wellbeing support that takes in areas such as:
- Being able to identify their own needs, and communicating them to other people, like their parents
- Understanding their role as a sibling, and as a helper or carer
- Accepting difficult or challenging feelings about their sibling’s circumstances
- Communicating with others about their sibling’s vision needs
- Understanding that their life options might be quite different to their sibling’s
Through the work that our Family Practitioners carry out in supporting parents, we know that many worry about their other child or children, and how growing up with a sibling who has a vision impairment can impact them. Although children will learn important skills as they perform their role as a sibling, there may be times when they feel worried, anxious and isolated.
Here are just a few tips that can help parents navigate this type of situation.
- Try to spend dedicated one-to-one time with siblings
- Limit the caring responsibilities that siblings take on
- Be aware that it might feel unfair to siblings if they’re asked to help out more around the house than their brother or sister
- Give them choice about spending time with their sibling
- Try to create opportunities for siblings to meet and connect with other siblings like them
- Encourage siblings to be independent and make their own plans for the future
- Encourage them to discuss their feelings about their sibling, and acknowledge these feelings, including any negative emotions.
A recent study* showed just how important it is that we allow siblings the opportunity to talk about how they feel. It found that siblings can experience a whole range of emotions, from happiness and empathy to sorrow and sadness.
However, the vast majority of the 33 children and young people who took part in the research showed a special relationship with their brother/sister, characterised by unconditional love and willingness to help.
There couldn’t be a better way to highlight the amazing contribution that siblings make in supporting and helping their blind or partially sighted brothers and sisters than celebrating today. We wish every sibling out there a Happy National Siblings Day!
For further guidance and support, speak to us at RSBC or check out the Sibs website at https://www.sibs.org.uk/
*Battistin T; Zanardo V; Mercuriali E; Bottan I (2023) Being siblings of children with visual impairment British Journal of Visual Impairment 42(1)
You may also like

No categories February 14, 2025
A volunteer’s journey: Meet Joné
Joné has been volunteering with RSBC since August 2024. We spoke to her about why she wanted to become a volunteer and what her experience has been like so far.

No categories January 30, 2025
George and Nicola’s story
George is an energetic and confident eight-year-old boy who lives in a bustling household with his mum, Nicola, his dad, and his baby brother Ted. It’s a home that’s filled with love and resilience as the family faces the challenges and celebrates the triumphs that vision impairment brings.

No categories January 27, 2025
Preparing for uni: student finance and DSA
Mark Wright, RSBC’s Futures Coordinator, talks about how you can make sure your finances are up and running before you head off to university.

No categories January 13, 2025
Our adventure with The Snowman
In December we were invited to audio-described performance of ‘The Snowman’ at the Sadlers Wells, Peacock Theatre, along with a touch tour of the set, props and costumes.

No categories January 9, 2025
Here’s to 2025: a year of hope and possibility
As the new year dawns, many of us will find ourselves reflecting on what we’ve accomplished so far, and what the future holds. As RSBC’s CEO, it’s certainly something that I’ve been doing in recent days. As I look ahead to the next 12 months, I feel so much hope for what this tremendous organisation […]

No categories December 10, 2024
How to make Christmas accessible for blind and partially sighted children
There’s no more special time of year for children – whether they’re five or 50! – than Christmas. It’s a time when there’s magic everywhere, and it’s filled with colour and sparkle. But how can you make sure that children with vision impairment (VI) are able to enjoy the fun and laughter that’s part and […]

No categories November 19, 2024
Boys Crew: why International Men’s Day matters
Each November 19th, the UK celebrates International Men’s Day. It’s not just about celebrating the contribution that men and boys make to our society – this special day also focuses on making a positive difference to their well-being and lives, raises awareness the support available to them, and promotes meaningful conversations about men, manhood and […]

No categories November 7, 2024
Narayan’s story
RSBC’s trustees have shared responsibility for governing our charity, and Narayan’s been a trustee since September 2024. We caught up with him to find out why he’d decided to take this step, and just what being a trustee involves.

No categories November 4, 2024
Callum’s Story
Callum’s been a trustee with RSBC since May 2021. He’s also the Chair of Governors of RSBC’s Dorton College, a specialist further education college for vision impaired young people aged 16-25. We spoke to Callum about what’s involved in being a trustee, why he does it, and what to consider if you’re thinking about becoming […]

No categories October 25, 2024
Atrix’s story
Originally from the USA, Atrix (pictured above right) has a background in theatre. They’ve directed productions in New York and London, and taught modern dance and choreography to young children and teenagers. They moved to the UK in 2019 to take their Masters degree.