JULY 2023
We wanted to make you aware of the joint statement that Wiltshire SENDIASS has posted on their website, about the current delays for people contacting the service. Please see the following statement below;
'We receive a high number of enquiries and requests for support and there are currently delays accessing our service, and we are sorry for any concern this may cause.
Wiltshire Council and Family Action are completing a transformation of SENDIASS so that you can receive the best support. Family Action run multiple SENDIASS services across the country and has experience of transformation work previously.
We understand that accessing support can be challenging because of the number of different agencies involved, and we want to reassure you that, whilst this transformation will take time to complete and embed, we have a plan that has been agreed with Wiltshire Council, and we are actively working together to continue to improve the service.
We are currently:
• Recruiting and training additional permanent staff
• Operating a system to assess and prioritise the most urgent inquiries. Other enquiries are placed on our waiting list and we will be in touch once we are able to progress
• Providing support for complex issues where necessary. This may involve attending mediation and tribunals if you have additional support needs that mean you cannot undertake these actions independently
• Signposting to other sources of information and advice so that you are able to exercise your legal rights. You may find answers to your question on this website, [Wiltshire Council’s website] or from [IPSEA]
• Directing you towards templates and examples for letters, emails and paperwork for you to complete
You can visit the Wiltshire SENDIASS website [HERE].
UPDATE APRIL 2023: Change of Contract for Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS)
We previously shared an update about the new contract for Wiltshire’s SENDIASS service which Wiltshire Council awarded to Family Action. In response to feedback from parent carers about anxieties as a result of the change of provision, we sought further information about the new arrangements in an effort to provide some reassurance.
• Family Action took over from KIDS from 3rd April 2023.
• There has been an increase in investment in the new contract to keep up with the increasing demand.
The new Wiltshire SENDIASS website is now operational; the website address is: https://www.family-action.org.uk/what-we-do/children-families/wiltshire-sendiass/
Wiltshire SENDIASS is the statutory information, support and advice service for Wiltshire, provided by Family Action, a national charity that hosts nine SENDIAS Services. They offer free, independent and impartial information relating to education, health and social care for children and young people (0-25) with Special Educational Needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and their families, to empower them to make appropriate and informed choices.
Services include: -
• providing impartial and confidential advice and information for children, young people and families on SEND around education, health and care
• offering support with education, health and care plans (EHCP), including annual reviews, informal and formal mediation and tribunals
• supporting you to work with education providers to ensure your child/young person’s needs are met
• offering support and advice on transport, exclusions related to SEND, disability discrimination, elective home education and personal budgets
• support with writing letters and completing forms, and assistance with discussions and meetings with schools, the local authority SEN team and SEND professionals
• support with resolving disagreements, helping you to consider and determine the best way forward
• providing information and signposting to support services in your area
The contact details Wiltshire Family Action SENDIASS are as follows:-
Organisation: Wiltshire SENDIASS - Family Action
Service Type: Information, Advice and Advocacy
Website: https://www.family-action.org.uk/what-we-do/children-families/wiltshire-sendiass/
Contact Details…
Telephone: 01225 255266
Email: wiltshire.sendiass@family-action.org.uk
Anyone who visits the Wiltshire KIDS SENDIASS landing page, will see a notice directing them to the new Wiltshire Family Action SENDIASS website for the time being. We have received confirmation that all current team members have moved across to the new provider; further details are on the Wiltshire SENDIASS - Family Action (family-action.org.uk) Family Action website, under Who We Are. There will be a message set up on the KIDS SENDIASS email address from April, informing anyone still using this email address to contact Family Action via the new email address.
Consent to Share Information
The WPCC has been advised that all families who are currently being supported by Wiltshire KIDS SENDIASS have been contacted individually to seek their consent, so that their information can be passed to Wiltshire Family Action SENDIASS. We would like to urgently encourage anyone who was being supported by Wiltshire KIDS SENDIASS who have not yet consented to their information being passed to Wiltshire Family Action SENDIASS, to do so as soon as possible. Anyone who has not consented risks having to re-refer into the service.
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