One minute guide: Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice Support Service (SENDIASS)

What is SENDIASS?

Leeds SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice Support Service) fulfil the statutory duty of the local authority to provide information advice and support as set out in the SEND Code of Practice 2014 and the Children and Families Act 2014.

They provide free confidential and impartial, information advice and support (IAS) to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their parents and carers to help with their related SEND concerns or questions.

Leeds SENDIASS operate at arm’s length from the local authority, and health commissioners. This means they do not sit within the local authority SEND service and can provide impartial and correct advice in line with SEND law and legislation.

What can SENDIASS offer information and advice about?

Leeds SENDIASS offers information, advice and support on a range of SEND topics, including:

  • SEND support in mainstream schools
  • preparing for SEND meetings
  • Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessments and plans
  • mediation and SEND tribunal appeals
  • specialist schools, settings and provisions
  • preparing for adulthood
  • preparing for educational transitions
  • SEND funding
  • SEND school transport
  • Leeds Local Offer

How do Leeds SENDIASS provide this information?

Leeds SENDIASS provide information, advice and support (IAS) on SEND law, legislation, processes and policy via:

  • the service website
  • supporting documents such as walkthrough guides, factsheets and
  • FAQs
  • recorded information videos, available through the SENDIASS YouTube channel
  • information sessions on SEND topics
  • advice appointments
  • advice emails
  • social media - SENDIASS Facebook group and Instagram

How can people access this service?

Parents, carers, children and young people can directly contact SENDIASS with their SEND query or question via:

All methods of contact will hold your place in a response queue, and you will be contacted by the team within their specified response time, which can be found on their website.

Further information

There is further information available via the SENDIASS website, their Facebook group and Instagram account. The SENDIASS YouTube channel hosts range of video resources for parents and young people on various SEND-related topics including funding, the Education Health and Care assessment process and transitions between schools and settings.

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