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About our service

Our vision at Solihull SENDIAS, is that children and young people with SEND, and their parents/carers, will be  aware of their entitlement and the options available, and will be able to make informed decisions.

Information, advice and support for children and young people with SEND and their parents/carers will be impartial, free to access, accurate, confidential, comprehensive and easily accessible/understandable.

If you are aged 16 to 25, visit our young people’s area.

Our aims

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.

What we do

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
  • what to do when things go wrong.

Family Action’s SEND information for parents and carers webpage offers useful information on a variety of topics such as money, health, leisure and education. You’ll also find a FAQs section and a list of national support organisations.

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

  • 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.

Volunteering opportunities

Do you have some time to spare during the day? Would you like to support Solihull families who have children with special educational needs or disabilities? If so take a look at our Volunteering with Solihull information sheet and complete and return your Volunteer Application Form. We look forward to hearing from you!

Further support and information

  • Here is a short animation to show the support available to young people with SEND and their families.
  • See the Council for Disabled Children website for video clips, focusing for instance on the EHCP Process and Person Centred Connection. 
  • Contact Helpline – Freephone: 0808 808 3555 (9.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, free from UK landlines and UK mobiles). Contact can give parents and carers with a disabled child aged 0 to 25 advice, information and support about any concern/question they might have.
  • FamilyLine is a free service available to support parents and carers manage the challenges of parenthood via telephone, text message and email. Whether it’s emotional support or practical advice on any aspect of parenting or broader family life, call: 0808 802 6666, text: 07537 404282 or email: [email protected]
  • Here is some guidance regarding how to share your views at an Education, Health and Care plan annual review

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact Details


Find us

Solihull SENDIAS staff generally work between 8.30am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday all year round. However, there are occasions when the office is unmanned, because staff are out at meetings and events or because staff are working flexibly to meet the needs of the service. We do have a 24-hour messaging service on 01215 165 173 or you can email us at [email protected]  We aim to respond to initial enquiries within 5 working days and to engage with ongoing cases as necessary.

We welcome your feedback on the support we give families. Please complete our online survey.

Download our Solihull SENDIAS Complaints, Compliments and Comments Form