About SEND Advice Surrey

Introduction

(1)A local authority in England must arrange for children and young people for whom it is responsible, and the parents of children for whom it is responsible, to be provided with advice and information about matters relating to the special educational needs of the children or young people concerned.

(2)A local authority in England must arrange for children and young people in its area with a disability, and the parents of children in its area with a disability, to be provided with advice and information about matters relating to the disabilities of the children or young people concerned.

Children and Families Act 2014 - Section 32

Under the Children and Families Act (2014) it is a legal requirement that all Local Authorities have a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS). SEND Advice Surrey provide this service for Surrey children and young people aged 0 to 25, their parents/carers and professionals.

Meet the team

We are based at Woodhatch Place in Reigate where we are sat independent of any other team that works with children with additional needs.

Our team consists of:

  • Team Manager, Emma
  • Helpline Advisor, Jill
  • Advisors - Beckie, Judy, Andrew, Kathryn, Lisa, Sarah, Rob and Gabrielle.

We are all Levels 1, 2 and 3 trained in SEND law. Between us, we also have significant experience in:

  • Early years
  • Primary
  • Secondary
  • 16-19 Further Education
  • Specialist settings
  • Parenting a child with additional needs
  • Exclusions
  • Supporting pupils with medical conditions

What we do

At SEND Advice Surrey, the information, advice and support we provide is impartial, confidential, free and at arm's length to the Local Authority. Our experienced team will listen to your concerns and discuss any issues in confidence.

The service we provide aims to empower children, young people and parents/carers to:

  • fully participate in discussions and make informed decisions
  • express their views and wishes about education and future aspirations
  • promote independence and self-advocacy
  • develop positive relationships with nurseries, preschools, schools, colleges, universities, the local authority and supported services to achieve positive outcomes.

SEND Advice Surrey ensures that the views of children, young people and parents/carers are heard and understood and that these views inform local policy and practice. If you have any feedback on our website or any of the information on this site, please let us know.

How can we help?

We can offer information and advice on:

  • your rights and responsibilities
  • who to talk to in school about your concerns
  • how your child is assessed and helped in school
  • what happens during an education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment
  • what happens during a statutory assessment
  • what you can do if you are not happy with a decision made about your/your child's additional needs and/or disability
  • mediation
  • local authority policies and processes
  • national policies and legislation
  • advocacy and other services.

We provide support by:

  • listening to your concerns
  • exploring options
  • supporting the preparation of paperwork and forms
  • helping you to prepare for meetings
  • supporting with the appeal process
  • ensuring your views are heard
  • looking at ways of overcoming differences where there is disagreement.
  • informing you about other local and national organisations that can help you.

What to expect from us

We operate all year round, including during school holidays.

Our service is:

  • free of charge - we never charge for any of our information, advice or support.
  • confidential - we do not share any aspect of your enquiry with anyone else. At times it may be useful or necessary to speak to other people involved in your case such as a case officer, tribunal officer or school staff. We will always ask for your written permission to do this and you always have the right to refuse or withdraw any consent already given at any time.
  • impartial - we give unbiased information, advice and support. For more information please see our specific webpage.
  • at arm's length from the local authority - While the service is commissioned by Surrey County Council as part of their responsibilities under the Children and Families Act (2014), SEND Advice Surrey works independently of the local authority.

You may get help from any of the team. We keep records on our own confidential and secure database so that whoever you are dealing with will know what you have already told us and you won't have to keep repeating it.

You should expect a response within 5 working days of contacting us. This can be longer in busier times, but we will state this in an email reply, on our voicemail message or on our website.

Generally, we answer all enquiries on a first come, first served basis regardless of how the enquiry comes into us. We do, however, use a triage system so that we can prioritise if and when there is a tight deadline that needs to be managed.

All email enquiries will initially receive an automatic response. Advice maybe given through email replies, over the phone or on a Teams call. Please note that when we call you, this will show as No Caller ID or a withheld number. There may be occasions when new members of the team join the call to listen in for training purposes, but we will always check that you are happy with this before calling.

Our information may include weblinks and written information, short films or webinars. If you are finding it difficult to access any of these, please let us know. Please also come back to clarify any points you did not understand or if you want to ask an additional question.

How does SEND Advice Surrey look after information about me and/or my child?

The Data Protection Act 2018 and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regulate the way we use your personal information. You have the right for your personal information to be treated securely, confidentially and with sensitivity and respect.

We would only share information without your consent in very exceptional circumstances when there is reason to believe there is a risk of harm to a child, a young person or a vulnerable adult.

I have advice from a solicitor, will SEND Advice Surrey still help me?

If you are already receiving personalised advice from paid consultants or lawyers, our help will be limited to signposting to avoid duplication and confusion.

What if I don't live in Surrey?

If you do not live in Surrey and are looking for the SEND information, advice and support (SENDIAS) service for your area, please contact the service for the county you live in. A full list of the services in England can be found on the Council for Disabled Children website.