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SENDIASS

The Birmingham Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) offers impartial information, advice and support to children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities.

The service supports children, young people and their parents, and can:

  • provide free, impartial and accessible information and advice on all aspects of the SEND statutory framework (law and the SEND Code of Practice) that covers Education, Health and Social Care.
  • provide advocacy support for individual children, young people and parents that empowers them to express their views and wishes and helps them to understand their rights in matters including School Support; EHC Needs Assessments; Exclusions, complaints; SEND Appeals and Personal Budgets.
  • provide information in community languages and other formats if appropriate.
  • provide training to LA professionals, Health & Social Care professionals, children young people and parents to increase knowledge of SEND law, guidance, local policy and participation.
  • assist the city council and schools to develop positive relations and links with parents.
  • establish and maintain good links with voluntary and other agencies and services.
  • help monitor overall effectiveness and feedback on all aspects of SEND provision and policy with a view to providing information to assist service improvements.

As well as providing advice and casework to individual families, SENDIASS is responsible for helping parents, carers and young people to be kept informed and consulted with on any local SEND policy and practice.

We hold regular meetings on a locality basis within the city as well as a larger meeting in central locations to try to ensure that the voice of parents, carers and young people with SEN and disabilities is heard.

If you would like to be involved in these meetings, please contact SENDIASS.

In addition, SENDIASS works closely with the local Parent Carer Forum and other voluntary organisations.

SENDIASS is provided by the council but works ‘at arm’s length’ on behalf of parents, children and young people including helping with disagreements and appeals.

The local authority and SENDIASS ensure that potential service users, Head Teachers, Further Education Principals, SENDCos, SEND services, Children’s and Adult Social Care, Health Commissioners are made aware of SENDIASS, its remit and its service offer.

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