Written evidence submitted by Somerset SENDIAS Service

(SFC0036)

Somerset SENDIAS SEN Support Worker

SENDIAS SEN Support Worker

SENDIAS SEN Support workers enable and empower parents to have their voices heard and play an active part in the education for their children. SENDIAS SEN Support workers provide information, advice and support regarding SEN Support in school that relates to the Send Code of Practice and education law.

SENDIAS SEN Support workers are trained to IPSEA Level 3 and update their training through IPSEA,

Council for Disabled Children and Information, Advice, Support Service Network (IASSN)

SENDIAS SEN Support workers work with schools and families to ensure that schools understand their responsibilities and offer the right support for children receiving SEN Support and implementing the Graduated Response.

SENDIAS SEN support workers may identify if the child needs more intervention in school and may

require an EHC plan. The SENDIAS SEN support worker will refer the family to IAS support from a

SENDIAS Officer if an EHC request to assess is made to the Statutory SEND team.

The SENDIAS SEN Support Workers provide Information, Advice and Support at IASN Level 2.

The SENDIAS Sen Support worker role is now embedded in the Somerset SENDIAS Service. Over the past three years data has consistently evidenced that where SENDIAS SEN Support workers support a family and school for a child at SEN Support, the child remains in school at SEN Support and usually an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment is not requested. The data below shows that in 2023 – 2024 of those families accessing SENDIAS SEN Support 80% remained at SEN support in school.

Level 2 SEN Support Worker data 2023 – 2024:

New Referrals                                                                                                   381

Returning families                                                                                      25

Transferred from Level 2 to Level 3 (SENDIAS Officer)                               98

                                                                                    Total Cases              504

November 2024