IASS: Minimum Standards: Part 1

IAS services provide information, advice and support to children and young people with special educational needs and/ or disabilities (also known as SEND) and their parents. The information, advice and support IAS services provide can be about education, health and social care. The service will make sure you understand what support and services you are entitled to and how to access this. Children and young people with SEND can contact or visit their service independently or through their parents. IAS services are statutory. This means that every Local Authority all over the country has to have one. This is because being able to have free information, advice and support is a legal right for children and young people with special educational needs and/or a disability and their parents. The service is free and confidential meaning unless someone is worried about your safety, anything you say to someone who works for the service will not be shared with anyone outside the service. The service is impartial meaning they do not take anyone’s side. They just stick to the facts. IAS services must do certain things and work in a certain way to meet strict standards. These are known as the minimum standards. These three animations are about those minimum standards so you can understand more about information, advice and support services, what they do, why they do it and what you can do to complain if they are not doing it. For more information about information, advice and support services, or to contact your local service, please visit: https://councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk/information-advice-and-support-services-network