Contact a Local Support Group
Parent and Family support groups are a great way to meet other parents and families for practical and emotional support. The groups listed below are run by local parents and carers of children with additional needs:
SEND Alliance Cumbria (SENDAC) - Cumbria's Parent Carer Forum
Not only are there several support groups around the County, we also have a statutory parent carer forum.
The forum work in co-production with Cumbria County Council, NHS Trust, and with other professional bodies that provide Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) services.
All the members of SENDAC are parent/family carers themselves and SENDAC is run on a volunteer basis to improve the services and ensure that parent/family carers feel listened to and valued by the professional bodies, and to work in co-production with them to improve SEND provisions across the County.
Contact
Cumbria SEND, Information and Advice Service (SENDIAS)
Offer impartial information, advice and support to children and young people with special educational needs and or disabilities and their parents and carers. Cumbria SEND IAS Service (which was formerly known as the Parent Partnership Service) offers impartial information, advice and support to children and young people with special educational needs and or disabilities and their parents and carers. This support now includes signposting to health and social care advisory services. Cumbria SEND IAS Service staff will make sure that parents/carers of all children (0 to 25 years old) with additional needs have access to information, advice and support. Confidential and impartial support is offered to parents/carers so they can make informed decisions about their child's education. Generally we can offer information, advice and support around education issues, although we can signpost parents on, with their permission, to other agencies who can help with different problems such as benefit claims.
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