SENDIASS stands for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Service. The team is dedicated to offering impartial support to children, young people, and their parents or carers who navigate the complexities of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). In discussions with the Staffordshire Parent, Carer Forum, Kim Edge sheds light on the common challenges the team experience, ranging from school exclusions to difficulties accessing SEND support and assessment delays. Her team also provides support with tribunal proceedings, Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) requests, and formal complaints. All initial queries are handled with care via their service triage team, with more complex cases assigned to specialised caseworkers.
What does the SENDIASS Family Partnership do?
We are commissioned by Staffordshire County Council and the Integrated Care Board. SENDIASS meets the statutory duty of the local authority to provide information, advice and support as set out in the SEND Code of Practice 2015 and the Children and Families Act 2014.
We offer impartial information, advice, and support to Staffordshire children and young people aged 0-25 with SEND, as well as their parents or carers.
Our assistance covers a wide range of topics related to education, health, and social care, ensuring that families have the support they need to navigate these important areas effectively.
What is your role there?
As the service manager I am responsible for strategic planning, service management and delivery and quality assurance. That means I am responsible for making sure the service carries out its duties as set out in the Minimum Standards for SEND, Information, advice and Support, in line with local authority statutory duties. I manage a team of dedicated officers who provide information, advice and support through our helpline service for our Staffordshire families and professionals.
What are some typical issues you see at the moment?
We have around 10,000 contacts to the service each year. Trends are discussed with our partners and Commissioners at the SENDIASS Advisory Group, of which the Staffordshire Parent, Carer Forum are a member.
We see a wide variety of cases however; we also notice trends. Below are some examples of casework trends in late 2023. This is based on the recurring topics that parents and carers come to us for information or advice and support about. We noticed the following themes:
Exclusions and Support Issues:
- Increase in school exclusions
- Refusals to assess
- Educational settings
Appeals and Rights:
- Advice with appeals
- Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA)
- Formal complaints
- Long waits for assessments (e.g. ASD/ADHD)
Attendance and School Support:
- Non-attendance/poor attendance due to emotional health difficulties
- Advice regarding the SEND register
- Funding issues
Legal Support:
- Threats of fines and prosecution
- Tribunal support
- Mediation support
How do you help parents and carers who contact you?
We provide support with things like:
- Information, advice and support for mediation and tribunal proceedings.
- Assistance with issues related to school exclusions.
- Requests for Education, Health and Care Needs Assessments (EHCNA) – an early step in the pathway towards an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
- Enhanced Assess, Plan Do Review process (EAPDR).
- Graduated Approach.
- Navigating the EHCP process.
- The process for formal complaints regarding Education, Health, or Social Care.
We give comprehensive information, advice, and support tailored to your needs. We have lots of expertise, know the SEND system and understand the pressures on families. We can help with ongoing support, such as developing an EHC Plan.
We promote self-advocacy and empowerment as a priority by offering:
- Insights into laws surrounding disability, education, health, and social care through our trained staff.
- Information on various aspects of SEND, education, health, and social care.
- Assistance in completing EHCPs or EHC Needs Assessments.
- Understanding of school duties, local policies, and practices.
- Guidance on personal budgets and direct payments.
- Information about the Local Offer.
- Networking and Training Events working with parents and professionals.
- Signposting to alternative and extra sources of information, advice and support that may be available locally or nationally
- Advice on interpreting and applying information to your specific situation.
- Details on the local authority’s processes for dispute resolution, including complaints procedures and means of redress.
- Support throughout tribunal proceedings.
Your journey matters to us, and we are committed to providing the information, advice and support you need every step of the way.
What would you say to people who aren’t sure if you would be able to help them?
We encourage you to reach out to us either by phone or email, and we will be happy to assess how we can assist you. We’re active on Facebook, where you can follow us and stay updated on our services and resources. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch – we are here to support you.
Telephone:
01785 356921
Email:
sfps@staffordshire.gov.uk
Who answers the questions presented to you?
Initial calls to our service are managed by the SENDIASS Support Officers, who serve as the first point of contact and triage incoming inquiries. If the inquiry relates to casework, it will be handled by a SENDIASS Officer who is legally trained and experienced in supporting with matters related to SEND.
When questions are directed to me, the response depends on the subject matter – either myself or the Senior SENDIASS Officer, Anne Godson, will address them.
Our team is very friendly and are here to help. All information shared with us remains strictly confidential. We only discuss matters with partners, such as the Local Authority, with the caller’s explicit permission.
We adhere to safeguarding rules at all times.
How does the individual advice and support you provide work?
We employ a triage system based on four intervention levels established by the Information, Advice and Support Service Network (IASSN). All incoming calls and emails are assessed to determine the appropriate level of intervention needed. For complex inquiries, we assign a dedicated SENDIASS caseworker to provide comprehensive assistance.
Currently, due to increased demand for our services and limited resources the waiting time following triage is approximately 4-5 working days before the assigned casework officer contacts the caller. We recognise the need to improve our capacity to meet growing demand and are working diligently with our commissioners to address this challenge.