SIAS

When you first contact the team you can explain what you need advice about. The team will explain if and how we can support you.

The types of queries we can help with include:

• SEN (special educational needs) support in educational settings
   
• Advice and support to request assessments for EHC Plans (Education, Health and Care Plans) and advice through the process

• EHC Plan annual review advice  

• Help to prepare for SEND related meetings 

• Support to resolve disagreements where related to SEND

• Information, advice and guidance for young people aged 16-25 about education, training and employment. We can signpost young people to other places to access support for other matters. 
   
• School exclusions, where related to SEND
   
• Advice and help to make applications for travel assistance

• Assistance with SEND mediation and tribunal appeals

• Training and information sessions throughout the year.  Topics include: starting primary and secondary school, pathways to employment, SEND tribunal appeals

You can watch this YouTube video to find out more about services provided by Information, Advice and Support teams.

Children and young people with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) aged 0-25, and their families.     

SIAS is a self-referral service which means that parents, carers and young people contact us directly to request assistance. There is no referral form.

Email: sias@southwark.gov.uk 

Please allow up to five working days for a response to your email.

Telephone: 0207 525 3104

We have an advisor on duty from Monday-Friday during office hours.
Our advisors experience a very high number of queries and we appreciate your patience.

If the phone line is busy or the advisor is unavailable at the time of your call, please leave your name and number, and a member of the team will call you back.
 

Tuesday online appointments
Click here to book an online appointment  - Every Tuesday between 9.30am - 1:30pm. Families can book a phone call or online video call. This service runs during school term-time only.

Thursday drop-in 
Come to the Sunshine House drop-in ^{(pdf, 700kb)} - Every Thursday between 1:00pm - 5:00 pm (last appointment time is 4.30pm). First come, first served. This service runs during school term-time only.

The service is funded by Southwark Council and is a statutory council service. There is an Information, Advice, Support Service in every local authority.

This service is free to access.

Although we are funded by Southwark Council, we work at ‘arms-length’ from other local authority services.  This means that we are able to provide a confidential and impartial service to families and will not pass your information on to others unless instructed by you or unless it relates to a child protection concern.     

• IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Education Advice) -  free and independent legally based information, advice and support for young people and families of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).  IPSEA also provides training.
   
• Child Law advice – specialist advice and information on child, family and education law to parents/carers.
   
• Kidscape – provide anti-bullying information, advice and support. 
   
• Details of other support and advocacy services specialising in health, social care and more can be found on this local offer page.    

• For details of legal representatives specialising in SEND (special educational needs and disability) cases, you may find this link, to information provided by Barrister Steve Broach, helpful. 

Please click on the following links to access information videos on YouTube:

• What is an EHCP (education, health and care plan) and who is it for? 

• What is an EHCP (education, health and care plan) annual review? 

• Attending video hearings at the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal

• The special educational needs and disability (SEND) code of practice (0 to 25 years) contains details of law and guidance related to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).    
   
• Statutory advice about school exclusions can be downloaded here 
   
• Equality Act guidance covering disabilities can be downloaded here  

Below are some of the queries that we regularly receive at SIAS along with information that we hope you will find helpful.

The short answer is no.  A child's access to education should not be affected by any toileting issues they may experience.

Incontinence is regarded as a medical condition in the DfE statutory guidance entitled Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions.  This guidance includes the following key points:

• Pupils at school with medical conditions should be properly supported so that they have full access to education, including school trips and physical education.
• Governing bodies must ensure that arrangements are in place in schools to support pupils at school with medical conditions.

Page 23 of the guidance goes on to say ‘…it is not generally acceptable practice to: require parents, or otherwise make them feel obliged, to attend school to administer medication or provide medical support to their child, including with toileting issues. No parent should have to give up working because the school is failing to support their child’s medical needs; or prevent children from participating, or create unnecessary barriers to children participating in any aspect of school life, including school trips, e.g. by requiring parents to accompany the child’

An Individual Health Care Plan (IHCP) should be completed for pupils who have continence difficulties that affect their school day.  Further information and guidance related to this is provided by ERIC, the Children’s Bowel and Bladder charity.