SENDiass4BCP is a free, impartial, confidential and arms-length service for children and young people (up to the age of 25) with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and their parents/carers.
We provide information, advice, and support with relation to education, social, and healthcare matters, operating face-to-face, virtually, over the telephone, and via email for families living in Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole.
You will find information, advice and support through our online resources, at events and workshops, via our advice line service and through individual casework.
Our aim is to promote independence and self-advocacy to enable children, young people, and their parent/carers to engage in discussions and decisions about support and provision as fully as possible.
By law, SENDias services must be joint commissioned, which means SENDiass4BCP receives funding from the Local Authority (LA) and health, via the Integrated Care Board (ICB). The law also makes it clear that SENDias services act, and are seen to act, separately and impartially, with no undue influence or control from the LA or ICB. This means that we operate separately from the services which have responsibility for making provision for children, young people and their families.
SENDiass4BCP is a statutory service, which means that every local authority must have an IAS service – this is outlined in chapter 2.19 of the SEND Code of Practice (2015). Our service is shaped by minimum service standards.
send code 0f practice 2015
National Minimum Standards
national minimum standards – easy read
Children young people, and parents/carers can refer to SENDiass4BCP as many times as they wish.
We will continue to work alongside you with the aim of increasing knowledge, skills, and confidence.