General Local Offer Response

What needs does your service or activity aim to meet for children and young people with SEND and their families?

Information, advice and support relating to SEND for children, young people and their parents/carers.

What outcomes does your service or activity aim to achieve for children and young people with SEND and their families?

Parents/carers and young people can make well-informed decisions relating to SEND.

How can children and young people with SEND and their families start to use your service or activity?

Call our answerphone service on 01296 383754, or email sendias@buckscc.gov.uk or via our website. Alternatively, with your permission, a friend or professional can contact us on your behalf.

We will contact you to take some initial information and then arrange a scheduled call back with an adviser at a convenient time to discuss the issues raised.

How is your service or activity fully accessible to children, young people with SEND and their families, for example, facilities, support from staff?

Staff trained specifically to support parents and/or children and young people. Ground floor site with good parking and bus routes nearby. Full accessibility plan in progress.

How do you communicate with children, young people with SEND and their families?

By telephone, email and face to face.

What training have your staff and/or volunteers received to support children and young people with SEND and their families?

Staff and volunteers undertake a range of training including independent legal training provided by the National SEND IAS Service Network; Independent Supporter training provided by the Council for Disabled Children; in-house training.

What future plans does your service or activity have for developing its SEND provision, for example, training, facilities?

1. Staff and Volunteer SEND IAS Advisers trained to provide information, advice and support as required by Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEND Code of Practice 2015.
2. Work in partnership to ensure an Independent Support Service is provided which will result in parents and young people receiving timely and appropriate support through the EHC assessment and planning process.
3. Build capacity in the service to provide children and young people with IAS as required by the Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEND Code of Practice.
4. SEND IAS role for CYP in custody defined and developed
5. Volunteer SEND IAS Adviser policies/handbook/administrative support processes developed
6. Training for parents piloted and delivered on working with professionals, involvement in decision making the law relating to SEN and disability, as it applies to education, health and social care and in collaboration with parent carer forums, contributing to strategic developments.
7. Training needs assessed and a training course devised and piloted for early years settings, schools, colleges, statutory and voluntary agencies on: working with parents, children and young people, the law relating to SEN and disability, as it applies to education, health and social care.
8. Policy and practice at the LA and CCG level informed by working with parents, children and young people, the Parent Carer Forum and local voluntary groups and organisations.
9. Methods to evidence SEND IAS impact researched and tested. Annual cycle of evaluation implemented.
10. Ensure SEND IAS is reaching a diverse range of service users.