How we can help?
On this page you can find out information about the SENDIASS service in Torbay and how we can help you.
About SENDIASS Torbay
SENDIASS Torbay stands for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Service.
We provide free, confidential and impartial information, advice and support about special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Every local authority must provide an Information, Advice and Support Service. SENDIASS Torbay works at arm’s length from Torbay Council and other services. This means we don’t take sides. We give you information and advice based on SEND law, statutory guidance and relevant local and national policy, so you can understand your rights and make informed decisions.
Who we are
We provide information, advice and support to:
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children and young people aged 0 to 25 who have, or may have, special educational needs or disabilities (SEND)
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parents and carers of children and young people who have, or may have, SEND.
You don’t need to have a diagnosis or an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) to contact us.
Children and young people can contact us directly for information, advice and support about their own SEND.
Who we can help
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The support we provide will depend on what you need. We can:
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explain your rights and SEND processes in clear language
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help you understand letters, reports and other documents
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talk through your options so you can make an informed decision
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help you prepare for meetings
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help you think about questions you may want to ask or points you want to raise
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support you with forms and letters
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help you understand what you can do if you disagree with a decision
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help children and young people express their views, wishes and feelings
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attend meetings with you where appropriate and where our capacity allows
Our role is to give you the information, advice and support you need to make your own informed decisions. We aim to build your knowledge and confidence so that you can advocate for yourself or your child.
Promoting independence and self-advocacy is specifically recognised within the SEND Code of Practice and the SENDIASS service offer.
How can we support you
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We can provide information, advice and support about SEND matters relating to education, health and social care.
This can include:
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identifying and supporting special educational needs
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SEN Support in early years settings, schools and colleges
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reasonable adjustments and disability discrimination
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Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessments
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Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)
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annual reviews and changes to an EHCP
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choosing schools, colleges and other education settings
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specialist education and provision
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personal budgets
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suspensions, permanent exclusions and difficulties accessing education
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preparing for educational transitions
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preparing for adulthood
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SEND-related health and social care provision
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disagreements and complaints
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mediation
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SEND Tribunal appeals
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SEND-related school and post-16 transport information and advice.
If we can’t help with your particular issue, we’ll explain this and, where possible, signpost you to a service or organisation that can.
The SEND Code specifically covers information and advice about education, health and social care in relation to SEND, as well as support when disagreements arise.
What can we help with
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The best way to contact SENDIASS Torbay is by completing our Request for Support form or by email.
Request for Support form: SENDIASS Torbay request for support form – Fill in form
Email: sendiass@torbay.gov.uk
Telephone: 01803 207884
We aim to respond to requests for support, emails and telephone messages within five working days. At busy times, it may take us longer to respond.
Our telephone enquiry service operates Monday to Friday, 10am–2pm. We may not always be able to answer your call during these hours.
If we can’t answer, you can leave a message on our 24-hour answerphone and we’ll get back to you.
How to get in touch
Our Service Standards and Policies
SENDIASS Torbay works in line with the national SENDIASS Minimum Standards. We also have policies that explain how our service works, what you can expect from us and how we provide information, advice and support.
You can view or download our service standards and policies below:
Sendiass minimum standards
SENDIASS Torbay request for support form – Fill in form
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Have you used our service?
If you have received information, advice or support from SENDIASS Torbay, we’d like to hear about your experience.
Your feedback helps us understand what we’re doing well and where we can improve our service. SENDIASS Feedback form – Fill in form
All local authorities must arrange for parents, carers of children with SEN or disabilities or young people with SEN or disabilities to have access to Information, Advice and Support Services (IASS) in their area.
If you live in Torbay you can access the Torbay, Send Information and Advice Service (SENDIASS).
We are required, by law, to offer impartial, confidential information, advice, and support to parents, carers, children, and young people about matters related to Special Educational Needs and disability (SEND).
We are a very small team of four part time members of staff that cover the whole of Torbay. Our staff are trained and have accurate and up to date knowledge of:
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Education, social care, and health law relating to SEND
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National and local policy and practice in meeting SEND
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SEND processes including Tribunal.
We tailor our support to the individual needs of the referrer and where possible our aim is to build upon the individual’s skills, knowledge, and confidence to promote independence, empowerment and self-advocacy. We don’t work with service users for a certain amount of time or do things on your behalf and we work very differently to other professionals. You can dip in and out for our support as and when required.
As we are such a small team, you may not have the same person working with you each time you refer back to the service but if we can we will try to keep the same officer working with you until a certain piece of work is finished, however this can't always be
Who we are
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We support children and young people (between the ages of 0- 25) with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their parents and carers to help with any concerns or questions.
We do this by providing a free, impartial and confidential service through our website and online resources.
You can also contact us through our telephone helpline.
Who we can help
SENDIASS in Torbay offers information, advice, and support in the following ways:
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We provide information and advice to parents and carers to enable them to participate as fully as possible in the support they and their family receive.
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We have our own website independent of Torbay Council.
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We have a large range of written information in the form of information sheets which are available online and which we will send out, if requested.
Where possible we provide one to one, face to face support directly to:
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parents of children/young people who have SEND
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young people with SEND, and
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children with SEND where it is felt this could lead to better outcomes for all involved. This would include meetings with school, the local authority, and practitioners.
How can we support you
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Our service is free, impartial and confidential and we can help with things such as:
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parents of children/young people who have SEND
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young people with SEND, and
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children with SEND where it is felt this could lead to better outcomes for all involved. This would includ
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Our service is free, impartial and confidential and we can help with things such as:
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SEND law, legislation and policies
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SEND support in mainstream schools
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Preparing for school meetings and attending a meeting with you if needed
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Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessments and plans
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Mediation and SEND tribunal appeals
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Resolving disagreements and complaints procedures
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Specialist schools, settings and provisions
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Preparing for adulthood
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Preparing for educational transitions
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SEND funding
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School transport.
What can we help with
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We have a telephone helpline and a 24 hours voicemail is available outside of these hours to leave enquiries.
Torbay SENDIASS
Call: 01803 207884 Inquiry line open 10am to 2pm Monday to Friday, but also has a 24 hour answerphone facility)
Email: sendiass@​torbay.gov.ukOr use our form to get in touch
Please note that our duty line is often busy, as we have only one duty officer available to answer the duty line and emails each day. When the officer is on a call, your call will be diverted to a voicemail service and you will be able to leave a message. Email is the best way to get through to us.
We aim to respond as quickly as we can to emails and voicemails, if possible within five working days, but at busier times this can take longer.
How to get in touch
SEND Information Advice and Support (SENDIAS) services must have regard to the minimum standards and must use the minimum standards when developing operational plans for their service.
These minimum standards are based on the requirements relating to support that SENDIAS services must provide, as set out in the Children and Families Act (CFA) 2014, the SEND Code of Practice and on additional legal advice commissioned by the Information, Advice and Support Service Network.
The term ‘advocacy’ in these standards, and we are using a definition of advocacy that describes the work and role of IASS.
Definitions
IASS use this definition of Advocacy
Advocacy means getting support from another person to help you express your views and wishes and help you understand and exercise your rights.
IASS do not fulfil the role of statutory advocates nor do they provide legal advocacy as provided by a lawyer.
An advocate can:
· listen to your views and concerns
· help you explore your options and rights (without pressuring you)
· provide information to help you make informed decisions
· help you contact relevant people, or contact them on your behalf
· accompany you and support you in meetings or appointments.
An advocate will not:
· give you their personal opinion
· solve problems and make decisions for you
· make judgements about you.
The support of an advocate is often particularly useful in meetings when you might not feel confident in expressing yourself.
They can:
· support you to ask all the questions you want to ask
· make sure all the points you want covered are included in the meeting
· explain your options to you without giving their opinion
· help keep you safe during the meeting – for example, if you find the meeting upsetting, your advocate can ask for a break until you feel able to continue
Sendiass minimum standards
