Frequently Asked Questions
See below a list of our most frequently asked questions. If you don't find the answer, please contact us and we'll get back to you shortly.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HARD COPY OR A PDF VERSION?
If you order a hard copy of a product it will arrive ready to use, with the relevant Velcro attached where applicable. If your item comes with a board there will be velcro attached to join the symbols to the board.
If you order a PDF version you will receive an electronic version of your symbols which you can then download, print and recreate as many times as you like, within the confines of your setting. Standard products will be available to instantly download; personalised products will be emailed to you once they have been made. Please note that when ordering a PDF version you will not receive anything through the post.
ARE THESE PECS?
No - in that no images themselves are PECS. PECs refers to an alternative communication system - the Picture Exchange Communication System, made by the fantastic Pyramid Educational Consultants. It teaches functional communication through a specific protocol.
Having said that, Pyramid Educational Consultants will teach you that you can use any picture in the PECS system as long as it is clear what the images are. So yes, you can use our pictures in a PECS system. You can find out more about PECs at their website. If you haven't been on one of their courses then do - they're fantastic!
WHICH VISUALS SHOULD I CHOOSE FOR MY PERSONALISED RESOURCE?
The best way to decide which symbols to choose is to begin by thinking through a typical day. Depending on the user's needs you may need to list the symbols in more or less detail. For example, one person may only need get dressed, breakfast, clean teeth etc, whilst another may need get dressed broken down into individual steps before moving on to the next task.
Once you have thought about the day start to think of any extra activities such as swimming, football etc. Then think of who else's house your child may go to e.g. Nanny's house, Lucy's house, or play with Freddie. It may help to write ideas down as you go through a typical week. Some people like to have symbols showing the days of the week to display at the top of the timetable. It is also useful to have an extra symbols that cover something that is a one off, for example a question mark or a star.
WHAT WORDING SHOULD I USE IN MY VISUALS?
Any people with language or communication difficulties will benefit from having words kept to a minimum. This will also help the aesthetics of the symbols. For example, rather than 'go to school' just put 'school'. It is also important to make the wording like an instruction. So, for example, rather than put 'cleaning teeth', put 'clean teeth'. A typical visual timetable might have the following symbols: toilet, get dressed, breakfast, clean teeth, school, Nanny's house, home, swimming, play, tea, bath, story, bed etc...
ARE THESE ONLY FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS?
No! Whilst there is no doubt that visual symbols are vital for some individuals with additional needs, they can and are used by everyone. Each of us in the Create Visual Aids team uses them with our own children. Visuals can reduce anxiety, increase positive behaviour, help with everyday tasks such as the morning routine and boost learning.
CAN THESE BE USED BY ADULTS AS WELL AS CHILDREN?
Yes! Our characters, The Beanies, are intended to be age neutral except for pictures where there obviously needs to be adults and children. Since we make personalised resources here at Create Visual Aids, we will make the symbols as close to perfect as we can for the user.
WHICH WAY ROUND DO YOU HAVE THE HOOK AND LOOP?
Great question! All of our products here at Create Visual Aids use VELCRO® Brand hook and loop. We put the:
hook (rough side) on any type of board such as the backing boards or Now and Next boards
loop (soft side) on all of the visual cards themselves.
If you would prefer to have your product the other way round to match your existing visuals that is absolutely fine, however please contact us BEFORE ordering just to check that someone is available to do this for you before your order is dispatched.
WHAT MATERIALS ARE YOUR PRODUCTS MADE OF?
We have two main materials here at Create Visual Aids. The backing boards and Now and Next boards are made of 3mm thick foamex meaning they are sturdy but light, and can be attached to a wall easily with sticky tac.
Our visuals are made of polypropylene which is a thin plastic. We choose this because it is so durable. The material won't tear, can be cleaned, is water resistant and doesn't crease easily. A4 sheets such as the feelings charts are also made of this material.
All of our visuals are matt rather than gloss so as to avoid glare and have rounded corners so as not to hurt any eyes if thrown!
CAN I REQUEST FOR PHOTOS TO BE PRINTED ON YOUR MATERIAL, INSTEAD OF VISUAL SYMBOLS?
Yes! At Create Visual Aids, we recognise that, while many people respond well to visual symbols, others respond better to photos. If you are torn between the two, we would recommend visual symbols because they are more generic. However, some people prefer photos and that is fine. Photos are also great for representing people. Please bear in mind though that we will only print your own photos. We cannot print screenshots or photos from the internet that represent somebody else's artwork or photography. For example, we can't print a screenshot of Peppa Pig. This would be an infringement of someone's copyright so please don't ask us to do this.
CAN I REQUEST FOR YOU TO PRINT OTHER VISUAL SYMBOLS OUTSIDE OF THE CREATE VISUAL AIDS RANGE?
No, we're afraid not. We use our own specially developed range of visual symbols, created with years of experience to support communication in the most effective way. Because of this, we're not able to print symbols from other sources or accept custom artwork, including personal drawings. We also need to respect copyright laws, which means we can't reproduce artwork that isn't ours.
That said, if you're looking for something we don't currently offer, please get in touch! In many cases, we can adapt or combine elements from our existing visuals to create something that works for you. There is also the possibility to have have a visual symbol designed specifically for you, at a charge. We really appreciate your understanding and support for our work.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO RECEIVE MY ORDER?
The delivery time will depend on whether you have ordered a hard copy or a PDF version, and whether the product is a personalised one or a standard one. Please see below for delivery times:
Standard PDF documents - will be instantly available to download after purchase.
Bespoke PDF documents will be emailed to you within 2 working days of us receiving your personalisation choices.
Standard Hard Copies will be dispatched within 3 working days of ordering.
Bespoke Hard Copies - we will email you a draft version of your visuals within 3 working days (usually sooner). Your visuals will be sent to print the Monday following your approval, and dispatched the following Friday.
HOW MUCH ARE YOUR DELIVERY CHARGES?
Our delivery charges are as follows:
Shipping within the UK:
Orders £0 - £10: £2.99
Orders £10.01 - £49.99: £3.99
Orders over £50: FREE
Shipping to the rest of the world:
Europe: £12
USA, Mexico and Canada: £15
Australia: £20
