Your Local SENDIASS Service – Cumberland SENDIASS & Westmorland and Furness SENDIASS
Offering impartial information, advice and support to children and young people with special educational needs and or disabilities and their parents and carers.
Who are SENDIASS?
Under the Children & Families Act (2014) it is a legal requirement that all Local Authorities have a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Services (SENDIASS). SENDIASS, however, are independent from the local authority
They offer free, impartial and confidential information, advice and support for parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This service is also offered directly to young people.
What do SENDIASS actually do?
SENDIASS offer support to children, and young people aged 0 – 25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and their families. They can give parents/cares and young people legal advice and support on various topics, which include:
- Appropriate support, impartial information and advice on a range of SEND related queries including – identifying a need, exclusions from school, emotional based school avoidance, complaints and disagreements when something goes wrong.
- Advice regarding SEND related health and social care matters such as therapies, the short breaks service and Direct payments.
- Detailed explanations of how the Special Educational Needs (SEN) process should work, for example the support that children and young people with SEND might require at their education setting such as, nursery, school and higher education e.g. college.
- Information about local and national voluntary organisations
- Information about young peoples and parents support groups in your area.
- Support through the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) Process including annual reviews and attendance at tribunal.
- To help you learn more about the SEND Code of Practice and your legal rights
- Support at meetings where appropriate.
SENDIASS in both Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness, work closely with SENDAC, other parent groups, youth and local area services, voluntary sector services and organisations in each authority, to ensure that the local area meets the needs of children and young people with additional needs in Cumbria and their families.
In order to provide individual advice, support and information, SENDIASS have specific coordinators covering each of the districts across Cumbria. You can find these details on the website, or in the flyers at the bottom of this page.
Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness SEND IAS service’s still have a Joint Facebook and Website which you can find below:
Social media – Facebook
Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness SENDIASS have a joint Facebook page at present, which has lots of useful resources, information and advice on, they also share regular posts about events happening around Cumbria. https://www.facebook.com/CumbriaSEND/
Website
They also have a joint website at present, that offers useful information, advice and resources also, as well as, their contact details and more information about the service they offer, as well as, the change in their service due to LGR.
Please see the below Flyers which contain information about SENDIASS coordinator contact details for Cumberland SENDIASS & Westmorland and Furness SENDIASS: