Contact details of support services for parents of pupils with SEN

Information Advice and Support Kent (IASK) provides a free and confidential, information, advice and support service, for parents of a disabled child or child with special educational needs and to children and young people up to age 25 who have a special educational need or disability.

Trained staff can provide impartial legally based information and support on educational matters relating to special educational needs and disabilities, including health and social care.  The aim is to empower parents, children and young people to fully participate in discussions and make informed choices and decisions.  Also to feel confident to express their views and wishes about education and future aspirations. 

They can be contacted on : 

E-mail: iask@kent.gov.uk

www.kent.gov.uk/iask

For details of the procedure if you wish to make a complaint, please see the policies page.

The local authority offer

The local authority offer is published on the following  link. Parents without internet access should make an appointment with the SENDCO for support to gain the information they require.

This report links to our policies on:

• Accessibility plan
• SEND Policy
• Equality Policy
• Behaviour Policy
• Complaints Procedure Policy
• Disability Policy (which sets out the arrangements for the admission of pupils with disabilities, the steps we have taken to prevent pupils with disabilities from being treated less favourably than other pupils and the facilities we provide to help pupils with disabilities to access the school
• Supporting pupils with medical conditions

Working with other agencies

The governing body have engaged with the following bodies:-

• Free membership of LIFT for access to specialist teaching and learning service
• Link to Disabled Children’s Service for support to families for some pupils with high needs
• Access to local authority’s service level agreement with Speech and Language Therapy Services / Occupational Therapy Services / Physiotherapy Services for pupil with requirement for direct therapy or advice
• Ability to make ad hoc requests for advice from Communication and Assistive Technology Team, etc
• Membership of professional networks for SENCO e.g. NAS, SENCO forum, NASEN etc

As a school, to ensure that we give children and families the best possible provision and support, we currently access (but are not limited to):

• LIFT which includes access to Specialist Teaching and Learning Services, Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language Services, Occupational Therapy representatives, Early Help representatives
• Senco Forum
• AEN updates
• Schools Health Team
• Emotional Wellbeing Service
• Early Help and Preventative Team

Complaints about SEND Provision

The normal arrangements for the treatment of complaints at The Judd are used for complaints about provision made for special educational needs.  We encourage parents to discuss their concerns with the subject teacher, Head or House or SENDCo. Should these options already have been pursued, contact can be made to the Headteacher to resolve the issue. Following this, a complaint to The Governing Body can be considered. 

If the complaint is not resolved after it has been considered by the governing body, then a disagreement resolution service or mediation service can be contracted.  The parents of pupils with disabilities have the right to make disability discrimination claims to the first-tier SEND tribunal if they believe that our school has discriminated against their children. They can make a claim about alleged discrimination regarding:

• Exclusions
• Provision of education and associated services
• Making reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services

• There are some circumstances, usually for children who have a Statement of SEND, where there is a statutory right for parents to appeal against a decision of the Local Authority. Complaints which fall within this category cannot be investigated by the school.