Walsall’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information and Advice Support (SENDIAS) service provides free and impartial support to children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and their parents and carers.
By doing so we hope to raise awareness of the options available to those using our service, as well as supporting people to make informed decisions about these options.
The Information, advice and support we provide for children and young people with SEND and their parents/carers is impartial, free to access, accurate, confidential, comprehensive and easy to understand.
If you are aged 16 to 25, visit our young people’s area.
How it works
The service provides advice and support to children and young people aged under 25 via a range of mediums including, telephone support, email, website, social media and face to face contact, both at our office and at community outreach hubs.
We provide information and advice about:
- The law on special educational needs and disability
- Education, health and care plans and the procedures surrounding them
- Personalisation and personal budgets
- The Local Offer – this gives information about Walsall services for young people and parents
- Managing mediation, tribunals, appeals, exclusions and complaints
- SEND support in early years provision, mainstream schools and post-16 institutions
- Local provision in mainstream, resourced mainstream and special schools
- Where to go for additional support locally or nationally
- What to do when things go wrong
We are also committed to involving those that use with the service at every step. We co-produce our information resources in collaboration with parents, carers and young people and provide volunteering opportunities for those who want to increase their involvement with the service.
Get in touch
Walsall SENDIAS staff work between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. We do occasionally leave the office for events and community outreach, however, so please phone ahead before visiting the office. We do have a 24-hour messaging service on 01922 612008 or you can email us at [email protected]. We aim to respond to initial enquiries within 2 working days.
How you can help
We are also committed to involving those that use with the service at every step. We co-produce our information resources in collaboration with children, young people, parents and carers and provide volunteering opportunities for those who want to increase their involvement with the service.
To discuss current volunteering and co-production opportunities drop us a line via telephone or email.
Useful information
Family Action’s SEND information for parents and carers webpage offers useful information on topics as varied as money, health, leisure and education. You’ll also find a FAQs section and a list of national support organisations.
For more local information visit our Walsall SENDIASS information page here.
We welcome your feedback on the support we give families, please complete our online survey.
