SENDIASS
We offer free, impartial, and confidential information and advice for children and young people aged 0-25 and their parents or carers where a child or young person has or may have special educational needs or disability. We also provide information, advice, and support to professionals on topics relating to special educational needs or disability (SEND).
Rochdale SENDIASS sits within the wider Greater Manchester GM SEND Services.
Admin (who you’ll speak to when you initially contact us) – Diane Sproston and James O Neal
The SENDIASS Team (who will provide you with information, advice, and support)
Would you be interested in being part of a new parent and young person steering group?
We will soon be running a termly steering group made up of current and previous parents and young people who have been supported by our services. If you are a parent of a child or young person with SEND who has an interest in helping us to monitor, develop, and improve our service we would love to hear from you. Your views and experiences are key to ensuring that we are meeting the needs of parents, carers, children, and young people. For more information, please email rochdale.sendiass@barnardos.org.uk
We have a range of workshops being delivered from September 2025. These workshops will be both online via Microsoft Teams () and face to face at the Parent Carer Voice Office in Spotland Bridge Mill. Spaces will be allocated on a first come first serve basis and tickets can be booked via Eventbrite. Workshop topics are chosen based on common themes and we work closely with parents and carers to ensure that relevant topics are covered.
Workshops we offer:
Choosing Schools
Educational Hurdles
Transition to Adulthood (dates and time available on Eventbrite)
We are also hosting variety of drop-in and appointment sessions across the borough, where parents can meet us face to face for information, advice, and support.
Friday 26th September 2025
Friday 24th October 2025
Wednesday 10th September 2025
Wednesday 8th October 2025
Wednesday 17th September 2025
Wednesday 15th October 2025
The PCV joins together parents and carers who look after children and young people with SEND to bring positive change from their lived experiences. They listen to families to find out what is important to them and determine whether services across Rochdale, Heywood, Pennines, and Middleton meet their needs. The Neurodiversity Hub is a multi-agency signposting and support service made up of NHS, local authority, and voluntary sector staff. The Hub supports families whose children are neurodivergent or have social communication differences. We are a need led service which means you don’t need a diagnosis to get support. Please note, the Neurodiversity Hub does not carry out autism or ADHD assessments and we don’t refer to these assessment services directly.
Rochdale Parent Carer Voice
They also work in partnership with local authorities, education settings and health providers to highlight where local services, processes, and commissioners are working well, or challenge when changes or improvements need to be made.
The Neurodiversity Hub (Rochdale, Heywood, and Middleton)
The SEND Advice Service provide information and support to parents, carers, and young people. They work together with a range of SEND services in Rochdale to help bring about better outcomes for children and young people aged 0-25-years-old. Their aim is to empower families with early intervention and guidance that helps them to feel more confident in supporting their children's futures. Website: https://www.ourrochdale.org.uk/kb5/rochdale/directory/service.page?id=yPYwsA_sYDE The Rochdale Additional Needs Service helps children and young people with additional needs to develop the skills they need to become independent and active members in school and their community. Website: https://www.ourrochdale.org.uk/kb5/rochdale/directory/advice.page?id=JArsPY7hjqs The Children with Disabilities Team sits within the Family Support and Protection Service and aims to provide help and protection for children and young people with complex health needs, whose disability significantly impacts their development, safety, or well-being, and who may be at risk without statutory intervention of a social worker. Although all disabled children and young people who meet the Children Act 1989 and the Equality Act definition of a ‘child in need’ are entitled to a social care assessment, it may not be necessary for a social work assessment in all cases where the family can access support and assessment from Early Help and or short breaks. The Children with Disabilities Team work closely with the Early Help and Schools Department, and alongside our Special Education Needs, Rochdale Additional Needs, Education Physiology, Hearing Impairment and Visual Impairment Team colleagues. They work to assess and offer appropriate support and protection, which includes assessments for short break services to children who have a diagnosed disability and or complex health needs and their families. Home-Start believes that children need a happy and secure childhood and that parents and carers play a key role in giving their children a good start in life and helping them to achieve their full potential. They provide a unique service; recruiting and training volunteers who themselves have parenting experience, to work with families in their own homes, building supportive relationships and responding directly to the family’s individual needs. Website: https://www.ourrochdale.org.uk/kb5/rochdale/directory/service.page?id=I9m4I4IBlG8 Colourful Minds provides emotional and well-being support for parent and carers of families with SEN and disabilities. They offer a range of support including peer support sessions, wellbeing walks and events, and parent and child groups. Website: https://www.colourfulminds.org/
SEND Advice Service
Rochdale Additional Needs Service
Rochdale Children with Disabilities team
Homestart
Colourful Minds
If you are a young person, you can find more information about accessing SENDIASS or support.
If you are a parent/ carer or professional and want more information about SENDIASS.
Resources and information that may help you with your question or query.
You can contact us for more individualised advice and support via phone, email or complete our contact us form.
You can contact us for more individualised advice and support
