Type of service: Family support and information services, Parent partnerships, Parent partnerships

Website: https://www.dorsetforyou.com/parent-partnership-service

Dorset SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (formerly Dorset Parent Partnership Service) offers independent information and support to parents and carers of children with special educational needs (SEN). What is the Dorset Parent Partnership Service and how can they help your family? We are an independent and impartial service that can provide advice, information and support to parents and carers of children and young people with SEN throughout the Dorset Local Authority (LA) area. We work closely with the Local Authority, Schools, the Voluntary sector and other agencies. We aim to ensure that parents and carers are able to play an informed part in planning provision to meet their child's special educational needs. We assist in building partnerships between parents and carers, the Local Education Authority (LEA) and schools. How can we help families?: The service can help parents/carers by offering free confidential, impartial advice, information and support on such things as: General information on SEN; Rights and responsibilities; Who to talk to in school about concerns; How a child is assessed and helped in school; When progress should be discussed; and What happens during the statutory assessment process. Our Parent Partnership Officers are trained in SEN and can support by: Listening to parents/carers concerns; Helping parents/carers express their views about their child; Assisting in preparation for meetings; Talking through the paperwork and helping parents/carers to understand complex documents and reports; Helping to look at all the options; Helping to write reports or letters, or complete forms; Looking at ways of overcoming differences where there is disagreement; Assisting in finding other sources of support; Accompanying parents/carers to meetings in schools/visit; and Providing support through the statutory assessment process.

Aimed at: Adolescent , Adult , Child , Parent/carer of a child, Parent/carer of a young person, Parent/carer of an adult, Young person

Gender: All genders

Specialisms: Generic