What to expect from Liverpool and Knowsley SENDIASS

The aim of SENDIASS is to empower parents, carers, children and young people by providing them with the right information and advice to make informed decisions, take the next steps they need to independently and advocate for themselves.

Most enquiries will be resolved through helpline information and advice. If required, we can follow this up by sending out information packs, links to relevant websites, drop-in information, and/or signposting, or make a referral to other relevant services. Families can come back to the helpline as often as they need to.

A smaller number of enquiries will require further support such as help to complete forms; this may be provided through an appointment at one of our drop-ins or may require one to one casework.

The increasing demand for the service means that we have to implement these criteria and as such do not routinely provide advocacy support or meeting attendance unless the person meets the service criteria.

SEND IASS Casework Officers are not trained or qualified advocates, rather they are trained in the SEND legal framework and provide information, advice, and support for families around this.

Young people accessing the service independently for their parents or carers will be offered support.

Casework criteria

The criteria for your needs being met through individual casework support is as follows:

1. There are multiple or complex issues that cannot be addressed via helpline
2. A parent has additional needs which significantly affect their ability to manage the situation independently even with advice from the service, such as:
   • Learning difficulty
   • Ongoing, complex mental health issues
   • Communication needs which cannot be supported by short term interventions
3. A service user is a child or young person with special educational needs or disability who has approached the service directly and requires independent support to take part in processes and help to express their views and wishes.

What if my enquiry does not meet the criteria for individual casework?

If your enquiry does not meet the criteria for casework, you will be offered “next steps” information and advice through our dedicated SENDIASS helpline. IPSEA trained staff can advise you on the law, statutory guidance and processes, plus local policy and practice around special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

You may also be signposted to one of our drop-ins or offered a pre-booked slot for paperwork support.

For more information, advice, or support, please contact 0333 323 7768

Professional referrals

The majority of our referrals are received from parents or carers directly. However, if a parent or carer is unable to do this you can contact us with their details, ensuring you have consent to share information with us. You can also refer young people to us with their consent – email liverpool.knowsleysendiass@barnardos.org.uk.

If you would like some impartial advice in relation to a family you are working with, you can also email an enquiry to us or contact the service on 0333 323 7768. We operate a callback service and will aim to respond to your enquiry within five working days.

We can provide bite-sized training sessions around areas of the SEND system for your team and/or the families you support – email with your training requirements or for a call back to discuss liverpool.knowsleysendiass@barnardos.org.uk.