How we work with professionals
York SENDIASS provide support to parents, carers, children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). We also provide support for professionals in York who deal with families who have SEND requirements.
Find out more about York SENDIASS, and how we work with professionals in York:
- York SENDIASS
- York SENDIASS' services
- Access to York SENDIASS
- Working in partnership with professionals
York SENDIASS
As part of the Children and Families Act 2014 it is a legal requirement that all local authorities ensure children and young people with SEND, and their parents have access to an impartial Information, Advice and Support (IAS) service.
York IAS duties are delivered by York SENDIASS. We promote working together, participation and decision-making through communication of information, advice and support.
The service is available for parents and carers of children and young people aged 0 to 25 who have, or may have, special educational needs (SEN) or disabilities who live in the City of York Council area. We can also provide information, advice and support to young people directly.
We deliver an accessible service with information electronically available on our website and the York SENDIASS Facebook page for all service users, including professionals working with children and young people with SEND, parents and carers and other stakeholders.
We work with Parent Carer Forums, other parent groups, youth and local area services, voluntary sector services and organisations in York.
Our staff are trained to deliver the statutory information advice and support service local authorities must offer. This is in line with the expectation of the principles for SENDIASS set out within the SEND Code of Practice guidance (sections 2.1, 2.2, 2.8).
The Council for Disabled Children have produced a video which explains SENDIASS in more detail: Introduction to the Information Advice and Support Service.
York SENDIASS' services
Our service covers all aspects of SEND. We provide advice, information and support around:
- the promotion of inclusion
- addressing concerns, from the earliest stages of getting help
- Early Years support
- SEN support
- SEN funding
- statutory work, which may lead to an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
- EHCP Annual Reviews
- ways of accessing services to support education
- exclusions where SEND maybe identified
- personal budgets and direct payments
- local policies and procedures
- dispute resolution
- mediation and appeals
- social care and health concerns
- support when things go wrong
- appeals and tribunals
- making a complaint
- signposting to other services
York SENDIASS is free of charge to service users.
York SENDIASS is confidential. We will not share your information with anyone unless you tell us we can. The exception to this would be because we have specific concerns about a child’s or vulnerable adult’s safety.
York SENDIASS is impartial. This means that the information, advice and support that we offer are based on the law and the SEND Code of Practice.
Access to York SENDIASS
Children and young people with SEND can use our service independently to ensure that:
- their views are shared
- they understand educational processes
- they can contribute to decisions about their future
Parents and carers with parental responsibility can use our service to:
- better understand their own rights
- understand the rights of their children and young people with SEND
- provide an introduction to SEND processes and policies
- support them with practical guidance and support in voicing their views
Professionals are able to use the information, advice and support on offer to build on their own knowledge and understanding. Professionals can also enable children and young people, parents and carers to access York SENDIASS.
Working in partnership with professionals
We understand the needs that professionals have to address when working to help individuals and families with SEND requirements. It can be challenging knowing how to provide the best possible support to the children and families that you work with.
Dealing with SEND requirements can also feel overwhelming for those who you're trying to help. Professionals should work together to empower parents and young people with SEND, providing them with information, advice and support. Parents should be enabled to engage, participate and make decisions, allowing them to express their views and those of their child or young person, clearly and with confidence.
We can help you to access the tools and information you need to help empower parents and young people with SEND to reach the outcomes they desire in education and training.
We can support you as a professional by providing information on SEND law and local services. We can also provide access to resources which you may find useful in your role.
We can help you by:
- listening to and answering your SEND queries
- helping you to understand SEND law and the rights of the families you work with
- providing information about SEN support
- helping with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)
- providing information about the Local Offer
- accepting referrals from professionals (with appropriate permissions),
You can complete our professional referral form in order to refer families or young people to us, so that we may contact them to offer our support directly.
You must obtain consent to contact York SENDIASS from the young person you wish to refer, or from their parent or carer.