(Special Educational Needs Disability Information Advice & Support Service)
WPCC recently shared an update about the new contract for Wiltshire’s Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) service which has been awarded to Family Action. We are aware that the news of a change to the current arrangements has created anxiety for some parent carers and we have been working with Wiltshire Council to seek further information to help provide some reassurance.
• Family Action will take over from the current provider (KIDS) from 3rd April 2023.
• There has been an increase in investment in the new contract to keep up with the increasing demand.
• The current service continues to be provided by KIDS until 3rd April 2023.
• As a result of the change of provider, there will be no service on 3rd April to allow the new team and systems to be made operational.
• There may also be some short-term disruption over the Easter period while colleagues familiarise themselves with new systems and processes.
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
The WPCC has been assured that there will be a notice on the Wiltshire KIDS SENDIASS landing page, directing people to the new website from April. We understand that is likely that all current team members will be moving across to the new provider. 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 is currently 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, will have to re-refer into the service.
|
