Between September 2014 and March 2016 the Government have made funding available to provide specialist individual support to parents, carers, children and young people who are involved in an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Needs Assessment and/or transfers from SEN or LDA to EHC

As part of this we were commissioned by the Council for Disabled Children to provide trained Independent Supporters to work with families and young people throughout their assessment and transfer period. A supporter can explain each stage, help to get views across and ensure families and young people take an active lead role in this process.

What does an Independent Supporter do?
Independent Supporters will provide parents and young people with time limited help to support the parent or young person during the EHC needs assessment and planning process.

The role of the Independent Supporter is to:

• Help the parent or young person understand the local EHC assessment process and local offer
• Act as an independent and impartial contact person for the parent or young person throughout the EHC assessment and planning process
• Focus on the task of helping of helping parents and young people to be fully involved in the transfer of a statement of SEN to an EHC plan (transfer reviews)
• Work with parents of children of children who are new EHC requests and/or young people (and their parents) who are coming up to school leaving age
• Liaise across a range of local services with the parent or young person to help gather information required for an EHC plan
• Provide information to parents and young people on personal budgets
• Signpost parents and young people to SEND Information, Advice and Support Service when the issue is outside the remit of the Independent Supporter

Independent Support is available in a variety of ways:

• Face-to-face support in their home as requested, from a person who is independent of the local authority and trained to provide this support.
• A dedicated, independent telephone support service operated between 9am and 9pm on weekdays, and 9am to 5pm on weekends.
• Access to a trained Independent Supporter, with the option of follow-up face-to-face support if needed.
• A dedicated, independent website providing information, signposting and resource links as well as the option for support and information exchanges via emails.
• A range of outreach information and support points across a range of community venues and services including information groups

For further information please contact us on:
0800 028 8455
ISreferrals@coreassets.com
http://www.coreassets.com/what-we-do/independent-support-service/