Introduction to the Local Offer
Under the Special Educational needs and Disability Regulations 2014 local authorities must publish, in one place, information on provision they expect to be available across education, health and social care to children, young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), aged 0-25 in their local area and what might be used in neighbouring areas or further afield.
What is the local offer?
The purpose of the Local Offer is to provide clear, comprehensive, accessible and up-to-date information about the available provision to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities and their families on the Isles of Scilly, and how to access it.
This website contains lots of useful information but if you want to access the information in another way you can contact us:
Children & Family Services Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
Tel: 0300 1234 105 Option 5
Email: LocalOfferScilly@scilly.gov.uk.
Alternatively you can call into the welcoming Carn Gwaval Wellbeing Centre and speak to a Family Information and Access Assistant or a team member of the Children & Family Services.
The Local Offer is also a process of engagement, involving children and young people and their parents/carers with service providers to have a say in its development and review and to make provision more responsive to local needs and ambitions.
A continuous drive for improvement:
Information on the Local Offer is updated regularly. We also value your feedback and it helps us to improve the Local Offer Service. To have your say contact us by emailing LocalOfferScilly@scilly.gov.uk.
The Council of the Isles of Scilly always strives to deliver a high quality service. If you feel you have been let down, or wish to make a complaint about the council you can do so. Further details can be found www.scilly.gov.uk/complaints
If you would like to make a complaint about children's social services then further please download pdf document Children's Services complaints
Further Information:
Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practise: 0 to 25 years PDF document
Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-capacity-act-code-of-practice
Council for the Isles of Scilly Accessibility Statement
A whole community approach to inclusion on the Isles of Scilly PDF document
SEND Code of Practice 0 to 25 years 2015
Special educational needs can mean that a child or young person has:
-
Communication and interaction needs - difficulty in expressing themselves, understanding what others are saying or difficulties socially interacting with others
-
Cognition and learning needs – difficulties in learning or retaining basic skills or a specific difficulty with reading, writing, mathematics or understanding information
-
Social, emotional and mental health needs – difficulties making friends or relating to adults. May be withdrawn, isolated or find regulating their behaviours challenging
-
Sensory and/or physical needs –sensory impairments or difficulties such as those affecting sight or hearing, or physical difficulties which impact on their learning Individual children or young people may have needs that cut across some or all these areas and their needs may change over time.
-
A child or young person may have needs in more than one area of need
What is a disability?
The Equality Act 2010 says that a person has a disability when they have a physical or mental impairment:
Which is substantial and long-term (for over a year), which has an adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
This definition includes sensory impairments such as those affecting sight or hearing, and long-term health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, and cancer.
Children and young people with a disability do not necessarily have special educational needs, but there is a significant overlap between disabled children and young people and those with special educational needs.
What should I do if I think my child has Special Educational Needs?
If you are concerned about your child’s progress and think that your child may have special educational needs you should first talk to your child’s class teacher, tutor and/or to the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO).
Five Islands Academy has a SENCO, who is the person responsible for coordinating help for children with special educational needs. Colleges also have a named person responsible for the coordination of SEN support and provision, similar to the role of a SENCO.
If you child is under 5 years of age, speak to your Health Visitor or Early Years practitioner for advice and information.
If you still have concerns and want to discuss this with an independent body you can contact Special Educational Needs Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) the service is confidential, independent, impartial and free.
SENDIASS Cornwall website: www.cornwallsendiass.org.uk Tel: 01326 331633