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About SENDIASS

East Riding SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service) provides information, advice and support for parents and carers of children or young people 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Our officers cover the East Riding of Yorkshire and offer impartial and confidential advice to support parents, carers, and children.

It's free, easy to access and confidential. We can help children and parents understand and take part in decisions that affect their lives.

We can offer you information, advice and support if you are:

  • a parent or carer for a child or young person up to the age of 25 with SEND
  • a child up to age 16 who has special educational needs or disabilities.

We aim to empower you to play an active and informed role in your or your child’s education. We will work with you to address any issues you are experiencing, and offer our support and guidance throughout the process. East Riding SENDIASS offer a tailored approach to support your needs, helping to find the best solution for each individual case.

This support may include, but is not limited to:

  • providing confidential information and support by email, telephone, face-to-face or at parent/carer drop-in sessions
  • offering accurate, impartial and accessible information, advice and support about matters relating to SEND
  • supporting you throughout the statutory processes and assessments in relation to Education, Health and Care plans (EHC plans)
  • listening to your concerns and helping to voice and contribute your views, feelings and wishes at all stages.

Watch

What is an Information, Advice and Support (IAS) service?

How must information, advice and support services be run to meet the minimum standards?

What must information, advice and support services do to meet the minimum standards?

Meet the team

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Christine Clive
SENDIASS Officer
Christine Clive

I have worked as an Information Officer for ten years - initially as a FISH Locality Information Officer and as a SENDIASS Officer.

I have just finished a year’s secondment to the FISH helpline, predominantly working on the East Riding SEND local Offer website, bulletins, newsletter and attending events (before Covid-19 put a stop to social gatherings). I am now back in SENDIASS again having undergone legal training around the SEND Code of Practice and am able to give information, advice and support to parent carers/children enabling them to make informed choices regarding the education of their children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

Katie Catchpole
SENDIASS Officer
Katie Catchpole

I have worked as a youth worker, play worker and Information, Advice and Guidance consultant supporting young people and families in accessing training, volunteering and education across a community shop and local children’s centre. I support families to overcome barriers and to fulfil their aspirations. Through my work with FISH I learnt about SEND, school inclusion and the difficulties that can occur for families to navigate services and support bringing my previous experience and knowledge to the team.

I have undertaken training in Special Educational Needs Law, which has enabled me to offer information and advice to professionals and parent carers around the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice. This, in turn, has helped me give families information, advice and support to help them ensure they are aware of their rights and choices and their voices are heard.

Daniel Pott
SENDIASS Officer
Daniel Pott

Hi I’m Dan, and I came to SENDIASS in July 2018. Before this I’ve worked within adult supported living, at a residential specialist school and have spent the previous 3 years delivering the independent support programme within Wakefield.

I have undertaken legal training to ensure that I can offer information, advice and support in relation to the special educational needs code of practice. My role within in the team is to provide additional resource in order to support the service coordinator with the service development plan.

Issy Wadsworth
SENDIASS Triage Officer
Issy Wadsworth

I support callers through their initial and continued contact with our SENDIASS office, offering information, advice and options for next steps. I support the development of SENDIASS and improve the service parents/carers and children receive through the processes of SEN provision in schools, EHC Assessments and EHC Plans.

My previous experience as a secondary school teacher brings my knowledge of working directly with children and young people in classroom settings to the SENDIASS team. I know and fully understand the importance of inclusion for those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and have detailed knowledge of the support that should be in place to meet individual needs. I have completed all three mandatory IPSEA levels to aid to my understanding of SEN Law, and have furthered my professional development training days and events, including 'Supporting Young People with Autism' and 'Exclusion Training'.

Sam Munby
SENDIASS Officer
Sam Munby

I offer information, advice and support to parents and carers of 0-25 year olds who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Prior to this role I completed a degree in ‘Learning Support’ and worked as a teaching assistant for four years, supporting children with various special educational needs and disabilities. I was seconded to work on the 'Preparing for Adulthood' programme, and will be bringing all the knowledge I gained from that role to SENDIASS.

I guide and support children, young people and their parent/carers through the processes of SEN provision in schools, EHC Assessments and EHC Plans. I am passionate about making sure the service users' voices, wishes and feelings are heard and continue to support you.

Volunteers

As well as our dedicated officers, East Riding SENDIASS has a number of volunteers who can support parents when dealing with schools or the Local Authority.

Our SENDIASS volunteers come from all areas of the East Riding of Yorkshire and have a range of interests and expertise. Having attended a 6-week training course, our volunteers are DBS checked and have all successfully completed IPSEA Level 1 training. With knowledge of the SEN Code of Practice 2014 and the Children and Families Act 2014, SENDIASS volunteers can offer independent parental support to parents of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, whatever level of SEN support the child or young person receives and whatever the Special Educational Need.

Our SENDIASS volunteers can help by:

  • listening to what parents have to say
  • supporting parents in expressing their views and concerns
  • explaining the SEN processes and procedures, the structures and roles of professionals and any confusing SEN terminology
  • supporting parents through difficult and confusing times in regards to their child’s SEN
  • signposting parents to any relevant literature or other organisations that may be able to offer help
  • providing practical support before, during and after meetings
  • supporting parents when completing forms and applications.

At all times, our volunteers can refer to the SENDIASS Officers for further advice and support.

East Riding SENDIASS volunteers bring a wealth of their own experience in regards to SEN, a willingness to listen and an understanding of the types of issues parents face. They may be parents themselves, or may have an experience of working with/in schools, or they may have joined our service as they have an interest in Special Educational Needs and have an empathy for parents who are struggling.

Our volunteers will not make judgements about you or your child, or make decisions for you. Instead, they will listen to your concerns and offer their support in seeking to resolve disputes and finding answers to your questions.

The volunteer’s role is to assist you with specific issues concerning your child’s Special Educational Needs and/or Disability. They are not there to get involved in other ways with your family, though they can refer to the SENDIASS officers to help you locate other sources of support.

If you would like a SENDIASS volunteer to assist you, please contact the service today requesting the support of one.

If you are interested in finding out more about the volunteer program, or for further information on how to volunteer, please contact us to see when our next sign-up is.

You can contact us by:


Calling us
01482 396469


Emailing us
Email us now


Texting us
07507 310273


Tweeting us
@SendiassERYC

East Riding SENDIASS office opening hours:
Monday to Thursday 09:00 - 17:00, Fridays 09:00 - 16:30

East Riding SENDIASS aims to respond to all enquiries within 2 working days.