Islington SENDIASS
SENDIASS stands for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service.
It is a free, impartial, and confidential service offering information to young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and to their parents and carers.
Impartial advice and support
We provide free, impartial, confidential, and accessible information, advice and support about matters relating to SEN or disabilities, including education, health, and social care.
We ensure children and their parents and young people have the information and support necessary to participate in decision making.
We help you understand your rights under SEND law and navigate the education system.
Who can use this service?
Parents and carers of children with SEN and / or disabilities aged 0 to 25 and young people aged 16 to 25 living in Islington.
How to access?
You can self-refer to access this service. Simply get in touch with our team using the link opposite.
About this service
We know that understanding SEND processes can sometimes feel overwhelming. Our team is available Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, all year round. However, there may be times when staff are out at meetings, events, or working flexibly to meet service needs. You can always leave us a message at 020 3031 6651 or email islingtonSENDIASS@ldnlondon.org. We aim to respond to initial enquiries within three working days and provide ongoing support as needed.
You can make a referral by clicking on the link below:
If you are in crisis or require urgent mental health support, contact the Islington crisis team on 080 0917 3333 (support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week).
Whats on
Come along to our coffee mornings and workshops
Get to know us better at our monthly coffee mornings and workshops at the Lough Road Centre 10am-12pm. This is a supportive environment for parents/carers. You can meet other parents over coffee, along with our case workers. Please note, this is for parent/carers only. Please find the timetables for our upcoming sessions below:
Coffee mornings
Thursday 16th April
Thursday 18th June
Thursday 9th July
Workshops
Wednesday 6th May
Wednesday 20th May
Topics to be confirmed
Types of support
We provide free, impartial information, advice, and support on all matters related to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This includes:
- Local policies, practices, and the Local Offer
- Information about Personal Budgets
- SEND, health, and social care law
- Understanding and applying information to your situation
- Transition to adulthood and adult services
- Resolving disagreements with the local authority
- Information and advise around short breaks and applying for short breaks.
How we help
- Advice & Guidance – On education, health, and social care issues
- Workshops & Events – Parent/carer coffee mornings and themed SEND sessions
- Empowering Families – Helping parents, carers, and young people express their views
- Meeting Support – Assistance at school and local authority meetings
- Paperwork Help – Guidance on SEND-related forms, including EHCPs
- Dispute Resolution – Mediation support and tribunal preparation
- Signposting – Information on specialist services, both local and national
We’re here to ensure you have the knowledge and support you need to navigate the SEND system with confidence.
Are you a young person aged 18-25 with SEND living in Islington?
Would you like to be involved in shaping how we support families with SEND? Then we’d love to have you involved! Islington SENDIASS are looking for young people to support our service by attending our Service Monitoring Group Meeting and Youth Forum.
We have produced a range of information to support you
This factsheet is intended to provide guidance to parents living in Islington who are applying for a school place for their child with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND).
Being excluded from school can be very upsetting for you and your child or young person. This information factsheet will help you to understand your child’s exclusion, your rights and will tell you where you can get further information and help.
If you/your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), The Islington 0-25 SEN Team must review all EHCPs at least once a year to monitor progress and make sure the EHCP continues to meet the child/young person’s needs.
How to get support with health
This is a brief guide to inform families how children with health and medical needs should be supported. It will touch on what the law says and what to generally expect from an education setting.
As a parent or young person with an EHCP you have a legal right to request that a particular school or college is named in an education, health and care (“EHC”) plan (or to express a preference for an independent school, college or other institution).
When considering what school to request for your child or young person, you may find it helpful to know as much as possible about each school you and your young person might be considering.
When considering what school to request for your child or young person, you may find it helpful to know as much as possible about each school you and your young person might be considering.
This information is about the support that mainstream schools must and should provide for children with special educational needs (SEN).
What to do if I do not agree with decisions
This information is about what you can do if your child has special educational needs (SEN) or a disability and you are unhappy about the help they are getting.
Questions to ask when looking at secondary schools
Useful questions to ask when visiting High Schools with a view to a placement for a young person with special educational needs?
What our families have said
I came to LDN at a time when I really needed understanding. I wanted to make sense of autism properly, not just from Google, but from people who truly understood. Finding LDN at that stage of my journey meant I moved from feeling unsure to feeling equipped. It gave me confidence, not just as a parent, but as someone who could advocate and contribute.
Some days I feel like I have a mountain of rocks on top of me. That stops me from
going about my day-to-day activities. I love coming to the sessions because other people have autism as well and it doesn’t make me feel different. It’s lovely to come to here because things like doodling and stimming is encouraged rather than discouraged, which makes it feel like a safe space.
Jay
Hub Member
I want to express my deepest gratitude for your care and support of my daughter. I have noticed a significant change in her attitude. She is now speaking with more confidence, her fear and hesitation is fading. She is finally getting better at expressing her concerns about
college and she is sleeping and eating better. I truly appreciate your kindness and support
in helping her feel safe and understood.
Parent
It’s so important for children to have experiences outside of the home. P loves everyone at KCA and building relationships with other people is good for his independence and confidence. It’s like another family: safe and secure.
Mary
Parent of a child who attends KCA
KCA is a big part of my life. It provides me with a place to do fun activities and take my mind
off other things – it is somewhere to be myself.
Raif
Young person who attends KCA
As an organisation with both ambition and focus, LDN has proven a stalwart community partner. We are proud to lend our support as they empower exceptional
individuals.
You may also be interested in:
Kids Can Achieve
Kids Can Achieve is a place for children and young adults with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Harrow and Ealing.
Family Service
Our Family Support Service provides support for parents and carers of children or adults with disabilities or learning disability in Westminster and Harrow.
LDN 4U Outreach
Support for you designed by you. Our LDN4U scheme offers self-directed support for people with learning disabilities across London.
