Sutton Information, Advice & Support Service (formerly Sutton Parent Partnership Service)

Main information

Type of service: Parent partnerships, Parent partnerships, Family support and information services

Sutton Information, Advice & Support Service: From the 1st September 2014 the Parent Partnership Service in Sutton has changed into the Sutton Information, Advice & Support (IAS) Service. Our Service will provide support similar to that of the Parent Partnership Service. However, the type of support and who is entitled to receive it has been significantly expanded: We are a statutory service that provides information, advice and support to disabled children and young people, and those with Special Educational Needs (SEN), and their parents; We are required to be impartial, accessible and free; All staff in the service have received independent legal training which is accredited by the Solicitors Regulation Authority; The service has a Steering Group that influences and monitors how the service is run; The obligations and expectations of the Sutton IAS Service are set out in Chapter 2 of the SEND Code of Practice. The standards expected of the service can be found in the IASSN Quality Standards. What kind of things can we provide?: Information, advice and support on subjects including: Local Policy and Practice; the Local Offer; Personalisation; Personal Budgets; the Law on SEN and Disability; Health and Social Care. (Please see our separate leaflets); Information, advice and support through the Education, Health and Care plan assessment and planning process; A phone helpline; Confidential and impartial information, advice and support to young people (aged 16 years and over) on their own, if requested; We will only speak to other Local Authority officers or professionals if you give us permission to do so. (However, if something you have told us indicates that a child might be at risk of harm, we may have to break this confidentiality.); Individual casework and representation; Support in preparing for and attending meetings; Help in filling in forms and writing letters/reports; Support in resolving disagreements, including informal mediation and Tribunals; and Signposting to other local or national sources of advice, information and support.