Help and advice for young people with SEND
SENDIAS
Bucks SENDIAS is the SEND Information, Advice and Support (IAS) Service for Buckinghamshire.
They provide advice to young people in Buckinghamshire with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
They cover a range of topics, including help with school/college, understanding EHC Plans, and how to get the right support.
Who can get support?
- Young people with SEND up to 25 years old.
- If you live in Buckinghamshire, even if you attend school/college in a different area.
- You do not need a diagnosis to get help from SENDIAS.
All help will be provided confidentially. You can choose for your parents/carers to be involved, or you can choose to get help independently.
What can SENDIAS help with?
Unfair exclusion
I have just been unfairly excluded from school and no one is listening to my side of the story. What can I do?
Bucks SEND IAS Service has information to help you understand when an exclusion or suspension is legal or not, and the process that schools have to follow. You can visit the Bucks SEND IAS Service website for more information.
If you find it hard to explain your side of things, or if you feel that the school is not listening to what you have to say about the events leading to the exclusion or suspension, Bucks SEND IAS Service may be able to help. We can work with you to help you get your views onto paper (or video or audio recording – whatever works best for you) and help you to share them with the school. We may also be able to attend a meeting with you and the school to share your views.
Learning support
I’m finding school/college really difficult and I’m not getting the help I need. What can I do?
Bucks SEND IAS Service has information to help you understand what schools and colleges should do to identify your needs and steps they can take to get the right support in place. You can visit the Bucks SEND IAS Service website for more information.
If you feel like your school/college doesn’t seem to understand what you find difficult or to be able to help you in the right way, Bucks SEND IAS Service may be able to help. We can help you to understand the kinds of support that schools/colleges may be able to offer, and where you and they may be able to go for additional advice and support. We may also be able to attend a meeting with you and the school/college to help you to express your views.
Named school/college
I have just received my EHC plan and I don’t want to go to the school (or college) they’ve named. What can I do?
Bucks SEND IAS Service can provide you with information about your options if you are unhappy with the school or college named in your EHC plan. You can visit the Bucks SEND IAS Service website for more information.
If you don’t agree with the school or college named in your EHC plan, Bucks SEND IAS Service can help you to try to get the school or college you do want. There are informal steps you can take, like talking to your Education, Health and Care Coordinator, and formal steps – mediation and tribunal. We can help you to understand what mediation is, what a tribunal appeal is, and what schools or colleges you have a right to request. We can give you some tips as to how to present your case, and we may be able to attend mediation and tribunal with you and help you to complete tribunal forms.
Moving to Bucks
I have just moved to Bucks and I have an EHC plan from where I used to live. What do I do?
Bucks SEND IAS Service has information to help you understand the process and timelines around moving from one local authority to another. You can visit the Bucks SEND IAS Service website for more information.
If you have just moved to Bucks with an EHC plan from another local authority, Bucks SEND IAS Service may be able to help. We can give you information about what to expect – for example, what Buckinghamshire Council has to do and by when, where you should be going to school, and when your plan will be reviewed. And if the process doesn’t go according to plan, we may be able to help you by putting you in touch with the right people, helping you to make a complaint, or attend meeting with you.
The SEND Local Offer
Buckinghamshire Council has written the Local Offer for children and young people with SEND, to provide information and guidance about a range of services and organisations that you can access.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at shoutoutforsend@buckinghamshire.gov.uk.