Advice
Lewisham SENDIASS
SENDIASS stands for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service.
This is the SENDIASS service for people living in Lewisham.
It’s a free, impartial, and confidential service offering information to young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and to their parents and carers.
What we do
We are a free, confidential and impartial service, offering information, advice and support to parents and carers of children and young people with SEND.
Our experienced team of local advisors also provide this independent advice directly to young people aged 16 up to 25 years with SEND.
We understand it can be difficult at times. Our approach is to empower parents, carers, and young people by providing you with confidential information and support on all matters relating to SEND. We can support you to understand your rights and offer guidance on the legal framework that all schools and local authorities adhere to.
We aim to empower our parents, children and young people to participate in any decision-making processes and assist you to make informed decisions.
Types of support
We can provide information and advice on all matters relating to SEND including:
- Information regarding the local offer, local policy and SEN/ disability law from independently trained staff
- Advice for parent/carers, children and young people on gathering, understanding and interpreting information and applying it to their own situation
- Personalisation of personal budgets
- Information on the local authority’s processes for resolving disagreements, its complaints procedures and means of redress
- Signposting children, young people and parents to alternative and additional sources of local and national information, advice and support
- Individual casework and representation where needed including support in attending meetings, contributing to assessments and reviews and participating in decisions about outcomes for the child or young person.
- Support for parents and young people in managing mediation and appeals to the SEND Tribunal.
Who is it for?
Families of young people aged 0 – 25 with special educational needs and disabilities. The service is open to parents and carers, and to young people themselves.
When is it open?
We are open Monday to Friday 9.00am – 5.00pm.
How much does it cost?
The service is free to access.
How do I contact you?
Contact us using the digital referral form below or emailing us at Lewisham.kids.org.uk
Drop-in sessions
We offer face-to-face drop-in sessions every month. Sessions are free, confidential, and no appointments are necessary. Just pop in to have a chat – we’ll be happy to see you!
Venue
The Kaleidoscope Centre, 32 Rushey Green, London SE6 4JF
Dates
- Wednesday 7th February: 10:00am-12pm
- Wednesday 13th March: 10:00am-12pm
- further dates to follow
Local contacts
Lewisham's Local Offer page
The Local Offer is your one-stop directory of SEND services in Lewisham.
SEND Mediation Service
Mediation is a free dispute resolution service for families who disagree with a decision that the local authority has made. Kids also provides the mediation service for Lewisham.
Contact: the charity for families with disabled children
Contact is a charity for families with disabled children. They support families, bring families together and help families take action for others.
Time to Talk Next Steps
Support for people aged 16 – 26 with additional support needs who are experiencing anxiety, isolation and are unsure about the future.
Specialist Services available to schools in Lewisham
Lewisham’s council’s website give details of all services that are available within schools
Lewisham's Early Help Service
Information about Lewisham’s early help services and the targeted parenting support service, Family Thrive.
Please visit IPSEA's website
IPSEA is a charity which offers legal advice, support and training to ensure children and young people with SEND access the right education.
Family Fund Charity
Family Fund is a charity providing grants for disabled children and their families.
Lewisham Parent Carer Forum
Lewisham Parent and Carer’s Forum provide an opportunity for parents and carers to express their views and input into the planning and delivery of SEND services.
YoungMinds | School Anxiety and School Refusal | a Parent Guide to Support
Is your child suffering from School Anxiety and School Refusal?
if so, please click on this Guide to Support | YoungMinds
A link to IPSEA's advice on the Annual Review Process
The local authority (LA) must review your child’s EHC plan annually. This is a statutory process of looking at your child’s needs, the provision required to meet those needs and the outcomes specified in the EHC plan, the process is only concluded once parents/carers have received the LA’s decision letter.
Lewisham Council – Get help with mental health
A link to Lewisham Council’s advice on what to do if you are worried about somebody’s mental health. If you have safeguarding concerns, pls call the Multi-agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) who provide a single point of access to the services that help keep children safe, Telephone: 020 8314 6660
A Lewisham parent says
“I would not have been able to go through this process without the support of Lewisham SENDASS. The support I received was amazing. I had one-to-one sessions with a professional worker who supported me step by step through the whole process. Being Dyslexic myself, I would not have been able to support my son with trying to get an EHC Plan.”
Contact us
You can contact us by filling in the form below or by phone, email, or by sending us a message via our Facebook page.
We are open Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm.
We aim to respond to all queries within 3 working days.
- Phone: 0203 319 2163
- Email: Lewisham@kids.org.uk
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/sendiasslewisham
Impartiality and quality
Lewisham SENDIASS is a completely independent and impartial service. For more information about how we ensure impartiality and confidentiality please read our SENDIASS policies.
Our SENDIAS services strive for the highest quality. The government publishes Minimum Standards for SENDIASS. Kids aims to meet and exceed those standards in all our work. Our staff are all highly experienced and knowledgeable. They receive regular training and updates on all aspects of SEND policy and law and have a detailed knowledge of Lewisham education services so they can advise you on your family’s rights and options.