Working Together
We encourage all service users to answer questions you may have and find out more about our service using our Webpage on the Local Offer website .
If you have been registered on our system it could be for one or more reasons:
- You contacted our service with an enquiry that we are looking into.
- A professional contacted us on your behalf.
- One of our staff has been providing support to you.
- You have received duty support but have stated you need more.
We hope this page will help you to understand how we will work together and the support we can offer.
- Please be aware that we are required by law to be an impartial and confidential service. This means we will not “take sides” with a parent/carer, setting or professional.
- Our service uses a goal driven approach. This means we will work together to identify goals and what work will be done.
- Our aim is to empower service users to self-advocate. This means you will feel confident to speak for yourself.
- We endeavor to provide you with a preferred worker for consistency, however this is not guaranteed. All our staff are trained to ensure your information can be understood by any worker. We support the approach of telling your story once.
- We encourage contact, preferably via email as much as possible and also have a voice message service.
- We mainly provide support via email, virtually or telephone.
We can offer:
- Advice and guidance related to SEND legislation and statutory guidance.
- Unlimited access to our duty support
- Advice before a meeting to help you to prepare and know what you want to say.
- Emailed links to websites that help you to be informed.
- Signposting to services that may be able to help you.
- Advice after a meeting to discuss next steps.
Further to this, it may be possible to support during a meeting.
We are unfortunately not able to provide:
- Direct behaviour support
- Mental health support or counselling
- Guaranteed attendance at all meetings-either virtually or in person
- Meeting attendance just as a notetaker
- Attendance at a meeting in place of you
- A directive to Local authorities or settings to make them take specific actions. Our role is to advise based on what is and isn’t lawful.
We need you:
- To keep us updated on any changes to your contact details (email, telephone, or address).
- To update us on major changes to your circumstances e.g. if your child moves out of Wakefield; if you have a legal representative; they are at risk of permanent exclusion or suspension, a new setting is confirmed.
- Tell us in advance of significant meetings that you are attending e.g. Early annual review; Child in need or child protection meeting.
- Let us know if your circumstances change and you no longer require the support you requested.
- To let other relevant professionals you work with know we are involved and give permission to share information with our service e.g. SENART.
- A shared understanding that we aim to respond to any duty contact within 72 hours.