Contact a Family have announced that they have been awarded the Department for Education contract to include a Special Educational Needs advisory service within their existing range of services for families.

The new SEN National Advice Service will be part of their integrated Helpline/Online service for families. It will be staffed by experienced SEN advisers. It will be a one stop shop for parents and other family members caring for a child with SEN, on all education issues.

The telephone helpline will enable parents and carers to get one-to-one, in depth and personalised advice from fully-trained SEN advisers.

They will also offer online services for more general advice and guidance, via email, their website, facebook and twitter to enable families to engage with them and with each other.

Their SEN service will cover comprehensive advice on a broad range of issues related to special educational needs in any education setting, including:

• Early Years / Portage
• School Action and Action Plus
• Individual Education Plans (IEPs)
• Statutory Assessments
• Statements
• Transition Planning
• 139A assessments and post-16 provision
• Home education
• Bullying
• Exclusions
• School transport
• 16-19 Bursary Fund

To contact the helpline telephone 0808 808 3555 or email helpline@cafamily.org.uk
The helpline is open Monday to Friday 9.30am - 5pm

The above information has been taken from Contact a Family's newsletter
In contact - Winter 2011.