SEN Resources

Your Local Offer

The Local Offer is a great tool designed primarily for use by parents and children and young people (0-25 years) with SEND.

Every local authority has to publish a ‘Local Offer’ where you can see what support or provision you can expect to be available in your local area.

The SEND Local Offer was created to help improve the lives of children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND), as well as their families and those who care for them.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ESSEX LOCAL OFFER

If you live outside of Essex and want to confirm the name of your local authority just CLICK HERE.

Once you dive into the Local Offer you’ll find it covers a range of local agencies, including education, health, and social care services – such as childcare, independent schools or colleges, care placements, apprenticeships, transport arrangements between home and education settings, specialist teachers, therapy services, and other specialist support.

A good local offer will (ironically!) also include relevant regional and national specialist provisions, such as provision for children and young people with rare and more complex SEND.

The Offer should detail support for both those with Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plans and those without. It must include arrangements for:

  • Identifying and assessing individuals’ SEND, including in the early years.
  • Requesting an EHC assessment.
  • Consulting parents.
  • Securing services, provision, and equipment required.
  • Funding and allocation of budgets, including top-up high-needs funding.
  • Supporting transitions between phases of education, plus preparations for adulthood and independent living.
  • Appealing decisions, making complaints, and resolving disagreements with regard to provision.