Children with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND)

Here are some links to help families understand and navigate the system for getting help for their child with special educational needs or disabilities:

SEND Information Hub for Children and Young People: This Cambridgeshire County Council website provides lots of information about the broad range of support that is available locally for children and young people aged 0-25 with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND). There is information aimed at children and young people as well as parents. Click on this link to visit the website.

SEND Information Advice and Support Service – SENDIASS: This local parent partnership provides information, advice and guidance to families about Special Educational Needs and support to navigate through the process. Visit the website for more information. There are helpful short videos as well.

Help with asking for an EHC needs assessment: An education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment is a detailed exploration to find out what your child’s special educational needs are and what provision needs be put in place to meet them. IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Education Advice, nationwide) helps parents understand the EHCP process, as well as gives lots of other information and advice. Click here to go to a page that talks you through the steps to understand what you can ask for and how.

Sibs: A charity that has support and guidance for people – children and adults – with disabled siblings. Find out more here.

Little Miracles: A charity that supports families that have children with additional needs, disabilities and life limiting conditions. They also offer a counselling service for young people and their families for those with additional needs. The local branch is in Cambridge – find out more here.

Pinpoint: Giving help and information to parent carers of children and young people aged 0-25 with additional needs, including those with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND). It also gives parent carers opportunities to have a say and get involved in improving local services. It is run for parents, by parents. Find out more here.

Right of access to your information: The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) explains to parents the process of getting hold of data they feel may be being withheld on themselves or their child(ren) – a Subject Access Request (SAR). If your child’s school is not supportive with the EHCP process, parents can make a SAR to the school. This webpage explains the process, which is very simple – parents can email the school asking for “all handwritten and electronic data where they and their child(ren) are the subject matter.” If the child is over age 13, parents would also need consent from the child.

Community Advocacy with POhWER: This organisation provides advocacy for a range of topics, including parents who have been referred to social services. If parents meet the criteria, they can ask for an advocate, who can at times attend Child Protection and Looked After Child Reviews with the parent. Visit the website here.