Special education services

Tender description

On 1.9.2014, Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014 took effect, offering simpler, improved and more consistent help for children and young people in England with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The Government is seeking a contractor to ensure that, in every local authority area, children and young people with SEND and their families have access to impartial information, advice and support about SEND issues – including through a dedicated Freephone service. On 1.9.2014, Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014 took effect, offering simpler, improved and more consistent help for children and young people in England with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The new system is: — replacing statements of SEN and learning disability assessments with coordinated Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans, — requiring councils to publish a ‘local offer’ of support for children and young people with SEND, — requiring better co-operation between councils and health services to make sure services are jointly planned and commissioned, — giving parents and young people with EHC plans the offer of a personal budget, — introducing mediation for disputes, — introducing a legal right for children and young people with an EHC plan to express a preference for state academies, free schools and further education colleges. It is critical to the success of the new system of support for children and young people with SEND that they, and their parents, have access to high quality, accurate information and impartial advice and support to enable them to participate effectively in decisions that affect them. This should best ensure that children and young people with SEND receive the right support at the right time, which improves their education and life outcomes. Effective participation by families is a fundamental principle of the SEND reforms. The Government is seeking a contractor to ensure that, in every local authority area, children and young people with SEND and their families have access to impartial information, advice and support about SEND issues – including through a dedicated Freephone service. The estimated value of this contract is up to 12 500 000 GBP in 2018-19; and up to 10 500 000 GBP in 2019-20. Funding is inclusive of all VAT that may be chargeable.