SENDiass4BCP

SENDiass4BCP is an impartial, confidential, "arm's-length" service for children and young people (up to the age of 25) with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and their parents/carers. We provide information, advice, and support with relation to education, social, and healthcare matters.

Our service operates face-to-face, virtually, over the telephone, and via email for families living in Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole.

Our aim is to promote independence and self-advocacy to enable children, young people, and their parent/carers to engage in discussions and decisions about support and provision as fully as possible.

Although we are funded by the local authority, we work as an "arm's length" service which means that we operate separately from the services which have responsibility for making provision for children, young people and their families.

How can we help?

Our services include:

• Access to a confidential helpline to discuss matters related to SEND
• Information about options, rights and responsibilities
• Advice and information about the responsibilities of schools, colleges, and the Local Authority
• Advice, information and support around the Education, Health and Care Plan process
• Help with paperwork: empowering you with completing forms, reading/writing letters and reports
• Support in attending and preparing for meetings
• Support in resolving disagreements
• Support with exclusions
• Support in managing mediation, appeals to the First-Tier Tribunal
• Support with complaints
• Signposting to other statutory and voluntary services
• Face-to-face appointments (Virtual or Covid-safe, if current restrictions allow) can be arranged at your own home or at an agreed venue local to your address.

For more information, please visit our website.