Provide impartial information, support, advice and training for parents of children with SEN and also to children and young people with SEN and disabilities.
SENDIASS Oxfordshire offers impartial information, support, advice and training to parents to enable them to make informed decisions about their child's special educational needs. Visit our public website pages to find out more, including events, training, SEN advice sessions for parents and information leaflets.
How the team makes a difference:
- Providing impartial information, support and advice to parents to enable them to take an informed and effective part in making decisions about their child's education
- Providing an independent parental supporter (IPS) for all parents of children with special educational needs (SEN) who ask for one, whatever stage of the code of practice the child is on, school action, school action plus or statemented and whatever the special educational need
- Providing negotiation and conciliation within the Children's Services Authority (CSA) and with schools and, if necessary, access to a free and neutral regional mediation service
- Providing training to parents around SEN issues and participation
- Promoting and facilitating an effective partnership between parents and professionals
- Working with other agencies and voluntary organisations to improve the service we offer to children with SEN and their parents
- Encouraging all those involved with a child with SEN to seek the child's own views about their education
- Offering training to LA colleagues and schools around conciliatory approaches and working in partnership with parents
Access to the service
We offer this by means of:
- a telephone helpline with answer phone outside office hours
- information leaflets on a variety of topics around SEN
- Talking Points - informal SEN drop-in advice sessions - see website for details
- a conference (annual if possible) for parents and carers of children with SEN with a choice of practical and informative workshops
- an open opportunity for parents to drop in for a chat - for assistance in filling in forms and advice about Oxfordshire County Council processes and procedures
The impact of SENDIASS Oxfordshire
- Improved communication between parents and schools, parents and Oxfordshire County Council leading to low numbers of tribunals
- Support to parents to enable informed decisions leading to better outcomes for children and young people with SEN with or without statements or EHCPs
- Increased awareness of disability discrimination issues
- Greater involvement of parents and carers in the development of Oxfordshire County Council policy and practice
Costs to users
SENDIASS Oxfordshire is a statutory service, and all support and advice to parents is free, as are information leaflets provided to schools. Training for parents is also free. Bespoke training to schools and Oxfordshire County Council colleagues may be charged.