Blackburn with Darwen Special Educational Needs & Disability (SEND) Information, Advice & Support Service (IASS) SENDIASS (formerly Blackburn with Darwen Parent Partnership Service). From the 1st September 2014 Parent Partnership Services (PPS) in every local authority evolves into Information, Advice and Support (IAS) Services. Each IAS Service provides support similar to that of a PPS, although the type of support, and who is entitled to receive it, has been significantly expanded. SENDIASS is committed to providing a flexible and supportive service, giving parents/carers, children/young people 0-25 years, schools and professionals the opportunity of working together to meet the special educational needs and disability of the individual pupil. The Service also provides advice and support relating to the admissions process and school exclusions. The Service can offer you: Confidential and impartial information, advice and support to parents/carers/children and young people (16+); Information about Blackburn with Darwen's Local Offer www.blackburn.gov.uk; Information, advice and support on subjects including local policy and practice, personalisation, personal budgets, preparation for adulthood, the law on specual educational needs (SEN) and Disability, Health and Social Care; Information, advice and support throughout the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) assessment process. Also information, advice and support on transferring existing Statements, Individual Pupil Resourcing Agreements (IPRAs) to Education, Health & Care Plan; Information, advice and support about additional SEN support in school; Individual casework; Support in preparing for and attending meetings; Help in filling in forms and writing letters/reports; Support in resolving disagreements, including disagreement resolution, mediation and tribunals; Information, advice & support relating to school transitions and exclusions; Signposting to other local or national sources of advice, information and support; Links to local parent support groups and forums; and Information on the role of Independent Supporters (IS) and how to access this support (read below). Independent Support Programme - Independent Supporters IS: Independent Support is a Government funded programme running until March 2016 to provide additional support to children, young people and parents/carers during the implementation of the SEND reforms. The Council for Disabled Children (CDC) has commissioned both SENDIASS and Barnardos to provide Independent support within Blackburn with Darwen. Independent Supporters will be used specifically to support young people and parents/cares through the introduction of the new assessment process and the development of EHC plans. Support will be provided to: Young people or parents/carers of children being assessed for an EHC plan (new entrants); Young people or parents/carers of children with a statement transferring to an EHC plan; and Young people with a Learning Difficulty Assessment (LDA) transferring to an EHC plan. Range of support: The range and duration of support will vary dependent on the individual needs of the case and the information and support offered by the service will be tailored accordingly. This may include face-to-face meetings, contact by telephone and/or email. How to make a referral: Primarily the service operates a 'self-referral' process. However, on occasions it may be considered appropriate for a professional to make contact with the service on behalf of the parent/carer or young person. The service will act upon such requests only on the full understanding that consent has been given..