National SENDIASS > Medway SENDIASS

Welcome to
Medway SENDIASS

A Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Service for children and young people with SEND, and their families.

medway sendiass@family-action.org.uk

01634 566303

Areas we serve

Medway Council area

Who can access this service

Children and young people up to the age of 25 years with SEND, and their parents and carers.

Office opening times

Monday to Fridays 9am-5pm (except bank holidays).

About this service

Medway SENDIASS is a free, impartial and confidential information, advice and support service for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and their families.

We support children, young people, parents and carers by providing information about education, health and care processes, rights under SEND law, and signposting to local services. Our aim is to empower families to make informed choices and have their voices heard.

We aim to empower you with the right information at the right time.

How we can support you

SENDIASS can offer information, advice and support in the following areas:

SEN support in early years settings, schools and colleges
Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), including how to request an EHC needs assessment
understanding SEND processes and your rights under the law
support to express your views, wishes and feelings
preparing for meetings with schools, colleges or the Local Authority
help with SEND-related paperwork
supporting young people aged 16 to 25 in their own right, and making sure their voice is heard
signposting to other support services
help with resolving disagreements, including mediation and appeals

Advocacy

SENDIASS supports children, young people, and families to feel confident, informed, and heard. Advocacy is one way we help people speak up and understand their rights.

We are sharing our definition of advocacy, so everyone knows what it means and how we use it. This helps explain the kind of support we offer, and what we don’t do.

Advocacy means getting support from another person to help you express your views and wishes and help you understand and exercise your rights. IASS do not fulfil the role of statutory advocates, nor do they provide legal advocacy as provided by a lawyer.

For more information see this advocacy leaflet.

We will help you to:

understand your rights and options
feel confident to express your views and make informed decisions
prepare for meetings and communicate effectively with professionals
access resources and examples to support your situation
navigate SEND processes and resolve disagreements

Professionals are welcome to contact us for general information about SEND processes or to understand how we support families. While we do not act on behalf of professionals, we can help clarify SEND law and signpost to relevant resources.

Find out more

If you think SENDIASS can support you and your family, or want to speak to someone to find out more, you can get in touch with us via one of the options below.

Call our helpline on 01634 566303. This number has 24 hour voicemail so please leave a voice message and we will call you back. Please include any urgent deadlines or need so that we can triage your call appropriately. We aim to respond to calls within 4 working days.
Email us at medwaysendias@family-action.org.uk
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