What you’re looking for, in plain English
The SEND Local Offer
Every council must publish a Local Offer: one place that sets out the SEND support where you live, from early years and schools to therapies, short breaks and how to ask for an EHC needs assessment. It’s the quickest way to see what your area provides, and who to contact.
SENDIASS
Your free, confidential advice service. It runs at arm’s length from the council, so it isn’t there to defend the council’s decisions. They can help you understand your rights, get ready for meetings, apply for an EHC plan, or challenge a decision, including at the SEND Tribunal.
Questions parents ask
What is the SEND Local Offer?
Every council in England must publish a SEND Local Offer: one place that sets out the education, health and care support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in the area, and how to get it.
What is SENDIASS?
SENDIASS (the SEND Information, Advice and Support Service) is a free, confidential service in every area, run at arm’s length from the council so it stays independent. It helps parents, carers, children and young people with things like EHC needs assessments, school meetings, exclusions and SEND Tribunal appeals.
Does it cost anything?
No. The Local Offer and SENDIASS are both free.
Talk to parents who’ve dealt with the same council
Join SEN2gether free for a private community of SEND families, plain-English guides and tools that help, on the web or in the app.
Area lookup by postcodes.io (contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right). Local Offer and SENDIASS links go to the councils’ and services’ own websites. England and Wales.