SENDIAS Service Recommissioning

What you told us about the SENDIAS Service:

SENDIAS (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support) is a vital, free and impartial service offering confidential advice to children, young people and their families when navigating the world of SEND (special educational needs and disabilities).

The current service is provided by Send and You (SaY). They offer help across several areas including education, health, social care, exclusions and tribunals. Support is available in a variety of ways including via phone calls, emails, face-to-face meetings, and through helpful resources on their website and social media.

The SENDIAS service is being recommissioned across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG), which means the local councils are reviewing who will deliver it in future and what the service will look like. While the budget isn’t expected to change, the parent carer feedback we receive will help shape the service to better reflect the real needs of local families.

On 1st May, parent carers from across BNSSG came together for an important online listening event to share their views on the SENDIAS Service. The session was hosted by the Parent Carer Forums from each of the three areas, as part of a wider conversation about the future of the service. We also gathered feedback via an online survey.

At the Listening Event, parent carers spoke openly about their experiences. Through feedback you told us how important it is to have support that’s clear, consistent and delivered by people who really understand the SEND system and listen without judgment.

We’ve now pulled together a short report highlighting the key messages shared by families. You can read the full summary below

Thank you to everyone who took part – your voice truly matters, and it’s helping shape the future of SENDIAS in our area.