Walsall’s improved Special Educational Needs and Disability local offer launched

It can feel overwhelming for families that have been told a child has special educational needs, but help and support is available. Walsall’s Local Offer website provides information, advice and support, in one place, for children and young people aged 0-25 years with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), their parents and carers and professionals.

Walsall’s Local Offer has been updated and transformed in collaboration with parents, carers, young people with SEND, and professionals and can be found at: https://go.walsall.gov.uk/the-send-local-offer/

On the Local Offer you can find information and useful links about education and learning including transport, health and mental health issues, the Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP) assessment and review process, financial support and activities. You can also find more information about the work that Walsall Children’s Services, health services and schools are doing to improve SEND services in Walsall.

Councillor Chris Towe, Portfolio Holder for Children’s service’s said, “We are pleased to be able to share our SEND local offer. The Children and Families Act 2014 requires local authorities to produce and publish a Local Offer. This offer sets out in one place, information about the provision available across education, health and social care for children and young people in the area who have SEND.”

“It is important that if anyone has any feedback, feels that further information is needed or if they need help navigating through the information that they do get in touch. I personally feel that it is especially important for our children and young people to share their feedback. Our SEND local offer is all about collaborative working and we want to make sure that the offer meets the needs of parents, carers and children and young people in the borough.”

Sally Roberts, Lead nurse, Black Country and West Birmingham CCG said, “This is an important step in Walsall`s journey to improve information for parents, carers, families and children and young people with special education needs and disabilities. The CCG with our health partners are committed to ensuring the new local offer is up-to-date and user friendly; coproduced with parents, carers, young people and children.”

For those people that don’t have access to the internet there are other ways to access the information. Parents can ask their child’s school, a professional working with their family or a friend or family member to help find or print information. If you can use the internet but do not have access to it, you can use a computer in the library.

Walsall’s SENDIAS service provides free, impartial advice and support to parents of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND). This service is also offered directly to young people. It is a confidential service providing information and advice about many areas including: EHCP process, local provision in schools and offers support if things go wrong. 

You can contact SENDIAS by calling: 0808 802 6666, email: Walsallsendiass@family-action.org.uk. For more information visit the website: Walsall Information Advice and Support (SENDIAS)

Other parents/carers who understand what you are going through are also a great source of help and support. Families and Carers Empowered, otherwise known as FACE is Walsall’s parent carer forum. For more information visit their website: FACE Walsall Parent Carer Forum  or contact them by email at facewalsall@gmail.com.

You can send your feedback, requests and comments through the website by using the 'Feedback' tab or you can email LocalOffer@walsall.gov.uk