I am a young person
Being a young person with disabilities or with special educational needs can be difficult and even more so when you can't find the information, advice or support you need.
Our main aims are to provide you with the skills and knowledge to feel confident that your voice is being heard, and to understand what you need to do and when. We do that by giving you clear, straightforward information about your options. View the link ‘About Us’ at the top of the page to find out more about what we do and how we can help you.
Information
The SEND Partnership Service (SPS) offers free, confidential, impartial and legally based information to children and young people aged 0-25 years who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and their parents or carers.
We provide you with easily accessible information around all aspects of education, health and social care to help you make informed decisions.
We aim to keep all our information current, accurate and impartial. We have a range of fact sheets and other useful links that can be found in the sections below. If you can’t find what you are looking for then please contact us.
Please view our Frequently Asked Questions link (FAQ’s) at the top of the page which may provide the answer you are looking for.
Factsheets
Please click on the factsheet below, this will open in a new window or tab.
Annual Review of an Education, Health and Care Plan
Choosing a New Educational Setting for your Child or Young Person
Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment for Children and Young People
Education, Health and Care Plans
Funding for Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Schools
Personal Budgets for Special Educational Needs
Special Educational Needs Support in Mainstream Schools
What do we mean by Impartial Information, Advice and Support?
What if I do not agree with decisions about SEN Provision?
Easy Read Factsheets
Please click on the factsheet below, this will open in a new window or tab.
Information, Advice and Support you can get - What should happen
Education, Health and Care Needs Assessments - Finding out what support you need
Education, Health and Care Plans - Getting the right support
Confidentiality - Keeping what you say private
The Local Offer - Finding out about support near you
Personal Budgets - What are they
Resources
Yellow Brick Road
Yellow Brick Road - a graphic that can be used to plot your next steps
How to share your views for your Annual Review
A resource created to support children and young people who have an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP)
View our information video 'What is and Education, Health and Care Plan?'
Useful Links
This section provides some useful links to other websites that may also contain relevant information and downloads of documents that may be helpful to you. These links will open in new window or tab.
IASS
https://cyp.iassnetwork.org.uk/
All about Information, Advice and Support Services
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1RfIfa15jk
What is an IASS (Information, Advice and Support Service) and how can they help?
Rainbow Resouce
https://www.rainbowresource.org.uk/sections/14-25-years
Our searchable Local Offer. This is where you can find information about groups who can support you, accessible activities you may find of interest plus tools to help you live independently, opportunities to get into work and much more.
1BigD B&NES
https://www.bathnes1bd.org.uk/
Discover organisations and events in Bath and North East Somerset in addition to those on the Rainbow Resource
Wellbeing Options
http://www.wellbeingoptions.co.uk/
Wellbeing Options supports adults in Bath and North East Somerset to live full and independent lives. You will find information about local care providers, services and activities, along with links to other useful websites and resources.
IPSEA
https://www.ipsea.org.uk/
Offers free and independent legally based information, advice and support to help get the right education for children and young people with all kinds of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Young Carers
https://www.banescarerscentre.org.uk/youngcarers/
For children and young people who do a lot to help look after family
Specialist Autism Support Service (SASS)
http://www.fossewayschool.co.uk/professional/asd-support/
The SASS support children and young people on the autism spectrum who live in Bath and North East Somerset, their families and educational settings.
Young Epilepsy
https://www.youngepilepsy.org.uk/for-young-people/
Better futures for young lives with epilepsy and associated confitions
Coram Children’s Legal Centre
https://www.childrenslegalcentre.com/
Provides free legal information, advice and representation to children, young people, their families, carers and professionals on child law and children’s rights.
Get your Rights - NHS
http://www.getyourrights.org/
Everything you need to get the most out of the NHS
Contact
https://www.contact.org.uk/
Supports families with the best possible guidance and information. Brings families together to support each other and help families to campaign, volunteer and fundraise to improve life for themselves and others.
Cerebra
Cerebra is the national charity helping children with brain conditions and their families discover a better life together.
Council for Disabled Children
https://councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk/
Works collaboratively, from policy into practice, to ensure the best outcomes for children and young people
14+ Preparing for Adulthood
https://www.preparingforadulthood.org.uk/
Giving everyone equal life chances as they move into adulthood. Working to ensure that young people with SEND achieve paid employment, independent living, housing options, good health, friendships, relationships and community inclusion.
Children & Families Act
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/young-persons-guide-to-the-children-and-families-act-2014
A young person’s guide giving a summary of the main changes and provisions of the act and how they may affect children and families.
Off the Record
http://www.offtherecord-banes.co.uk/
Provides a range of free, independent and confidential services for children and young people that support the development of their emotional health and well-being.
Youth Connect South West
https://www.youthconnectsouthwest.org.uk/
Youth Connect provides a range of services for young people, from positive activities and advice through to individual support for those who need it the most for moving on into adulthood and work or training.
National Careers Service
http://www.adviza.org.uk/services/national-careers-service
Provide personalised careers information and guidance.
FLARE Top Tips for Professionals
https://councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk/help-resources/resources/flares-top-tips-professionals
FLARE's Top Tips for Professionals: Virtual Communication with Children and Young People. Especially useful at the moment, where most communications are virtual.
Useful guidance on completing Tribunal Application Form.
Suffolk SENDIASS have produced two YouTube videos which families may find helpful when completing a Tribunal Appeal Application. There are separate videos for each section so you can go to the video which is relevant to you.
Tomorrow’s Leaders: A world beyond Disability
https://www.excellencegateway.org.uk/content/etf3202
This page contains a link to the booklet ‘Tomorrow's Leaders: A world beyond Disability’ which includes Case Studies from Disabled Young People about their career path achievements.
Global Mediation
https://www.globalmediation.co.uk/
An independent service that will provide a trained mediator to facilitate a discussion.
Healthwatch - Bath and North East Somerset
https://healthwatchbathnes.co.uk/
The independent champion for people who use health and social care services
Education, Health and Care Plans – examples of good practice
These resources have been produced to help practitioners write good quality EHC plans that meet both the letter and the spirit of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Examples of good practice
A document to support the development of skills in writing good quality Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans
Examples of good practice year 9 and beyond
This guide seeks to build on the first resource with a particular focus on how plans should evolve for young people from year 9 reviews onwards.
Request for an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment
https://www.ipsea.org.uk/making-a-request-for-an-ehc-needs-assessment
A template letter, from IPSEA, to request an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA)
Developing Outcomes in Education, Health and Care Plans
https://www.sendpathfinder.co.uk/delivering-better-outcomes-together
This resource has been developed by the Delivering Better Outcomes Together consortium to support the development of outcomes in Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) and can be accessed from this webpage.
Preparing for Adulthood - key topics to cover at Annual Review from year 9
https://www.preparingforadulthood.org.uk/downloads/education-health-and-care-planning/447.htm
A checklist designed around the four life domains that are widely used to think about planning for an adult life in the community
Getting involved
Participation
Part of our responsibility is to find a way for you to influence which services the Local Authority Commissions to support children and young people with SEND the policies they implement and processes they use.
If you would like to be involved, this could be completing a survey, attending a meeting or just letting us know your views. Please let us know.