Solihull SENDIAS

More Information

At Solihull SENDIAS, West Midlands, our vision is that children and young people with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities), and their parents/carers, will be aware of their entitlement and the options available, empowering them to be able to make informed decisions through offering impartial, free to access, accurate, confidential, comprehensive, and easily accessible/understandable information, advice & support.

Solihull SENDIAS Service aims to:

• Provide information, advice and support to children and young people up to the age of 25 with SEND
• Provide information, advice and support to the parents/carers of children and young people up to the age of 25 with SEND
• Provide impartial advice about matters relating to SEND, including issues relating to health and social care
• Offer support to parents/carers and children and young people with SEND in participating in decisions made about the child/young person’s education, health and social care.

We provide information and advice about:

• the law on special educational needs and disability,
• statements of education, health and care plans and procedures,
• personalisation and personal budgets,
• the Local Offer – this gives information about Solihull services for young people and parents,
• managing mediation, appeals to the first-tier tribunal (SEN and disability), exclusions and complaints,
• SEND support in early years provision, mainstream schools and post-16 institutions,
• local provision in mainstream, resourced mainstream and special schools,
• applying information to your own situation,
• where to go for additional support locally or nationally, including voluntary services, and
• what to do when things go wrong.

We support children and young people with SEND and their parents/carers in a variety of ways, including:

• Individual casework and representation, including arranging and attending meetings, contributing to assessments and reviews, and supporting participation in decisions about outcomes for children and young people
• Writing and responding to letters and reports, and support with EHC plans
• Help when things go wrong, including supporting children, young people and parents in arranging or attending early disagreement resolution meetings and in managing mediation, appeals to first-tier tribunal (SEN and Disability), exclusions and complaints on matters related to SEN and Disability and making children, young people and parents aware of the local authority’s and CCG’s services for resolving disagreements and for mediation, and on the routes of appeal and complaint on matters related to SEN and Disability
• Support through working with parent/carer support groups, local SEND youth forums or groups, training events and schools/colleges.
• Signposting to appropriate alternative and additional sources of advice, information and support locally or nationally.

Visit our Solihull SENDIAS SEND Information and Downloads page to view our leaflets, links to local support organisations, helplines etc.

If you are aged 16-25, please visit our Solihull SENDIAS Young People's page.

Further support and information

See the Council for Disabled Children's website for helpful video clips, focusing for instance on the EHCP Process and Person Centred Connection.