Please see our directories for more information on:

• Specialist Support Service - Vision Impairment; Hearing Impairment; Autism Outreach, and Autism and Sensory Support in Staffordshire (ASSIST).
• Support for physical/medical needs, which includes occuptional therapy, physiotherapy and nursing.
• Communication and social interaction, which includes support for autism and speech and language.
• Learning support, for learning difficulties, dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties.  
• Support for social emotional and mental health
• Support for families and settings, e.g. early support, minority ethnic achievement service, inclusion team, Ministry of Defence Children's Education Advisory Service, etc.

• Youth Offending support.

Use the filters within the directories to search by age, district, areas served, and provider type, such as a commissioned or private service.

Please note:  Staffordshire Connects is a free and impartial service.   Information contained in the SEND Local Offer does not represent a recommendation or endorsement of a service or provider.   For more information please see our disclaimer.  Providers are responsibile for updating their own information.   Please let us know if you would like to suggest a listing and we will contact the provider for you.

Our schools and specialist provision directory holds information about your nearest and catchment schools, independent schools, pupil referral units, resource centres, alternative provision, special schools, independent special schools and support for home educating.

You will also find information on finding a school, accessible schools, school admissions, education for children with health needs who cannot attend school, supporting pupils with medical conditions and our virtual school for looked after children.

Most children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities will have their needs met within local mainstream early years settings, schools or colleges, through a graduated response.

You and your child should be involved in the agreement, planning, delivery and monitoring of the provision to meet their special educational needs.

What special educational needs and disability support is available in schools?

See our:

• Adapting the curriculum and/or environment page for information on:

  • schools responsibilities
  • local authority duties
  • Equality Act 2010 
  • inclusion team
      
• Graduated response page for information on:
  .
• Assess, Plan, Do. Review processes
• Staffordshire's graduated response toolkit for early years and schools
  
  
• SEND and Inclusion Hubs page for more information on Hub support for schools to help them provide the right help to your child at the right time.
    

What  can I do if I disagree with the support provided?

The first step would be to talk to the teacher, Special Educational Needs Coordinator, or headteacher.

SENDIASS  provide a range of information leaflets, including one on what to do if you do not agree with decisions about special educational needs provision.  They can also listen to your concerns and talk you through the options. This is a free, confidential and impartial service for parents, carers, children and young people.

See information on the disagreement resolution service, including who can use the service, what it covers, and what happens at a dispute resolution meeting.

What if my child needs more help?

Some children and young people may need more help than would normally be provided in a setting. The education health and care needs assessment will look in detail at the child or young person's needs and the support that they require.

Education health and care plans

Education health and care plans are for children and young people whose special educational needs require more help than would normally be provided in a nursery, school or college.

How do I request a needs assessment?

Parents, carers and young people can request an assessment by:

• visiting the Staffordshire EHC Hub. Use the "Request a Needs Assessment" button and follow the online guidance. More detailed Hub guidance for parents and carers requesting a needs assessment.

If you do not wish to use the EHC Hub:

• complete the request form and email to sendreferrals@staffordshire.gov.uk. The EHC Hub will manage your application but we will post all correspondence. A PDF and Word version of the request form is available. 

Practitioners can request an assessment by:

• registering on the EHC Hub and adding a new request.  More information

Where can I find more information?

See our education health and care needs assessment and plans page which provides more information on:

• How to request a needs assessment, support available and Staffordshire's EHC Hub
    
• Personal budgets
    
• Annual reviews
    
• Mediation and SEND tribunals

Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: 0-25 Years

The SEND Code of Practice: 0-25 years  provides statutory guidance on the special educational needs and disability (SEND) system for children and young people aged from 0-25 years.

Gov.uk also provide the following guides:

• SEND Guide for Parents and Carers
• SEND support: Easy Read Guide for Children and Young People
• SEND support: Easy Read Guide for Parents

It explains the duties of local authorities, health bodies, schools and colleges to provide for those with special educational needs under part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014.

SENDIASS Staffordshire Family Partnership can provide you with information, advice, and support around special educational needs and disability matters, including special educational needs law.  Visit their website for more information.

Other relevant local and national policies:

Please see our policy information library to search for relevant policies.  This includes information on the Equality Act.