About Bexley IASS

All staff members are trained and experienced advisors in SEND law and casework, holding the accredited IPSEA Legal training through the National IASS network.

Additionally, possessing up-to-date enhanced Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) certificates.

All SEND IASS services operate FREE OF CHARGE for parent-carers of children and young people with SEND.

We provide impartial and confidential information and advice about the local authority’s policies and procedures and about the policy and practice in local schools and other settings.

Under the 2015 SEND Code of Practice, children and young people have a right to confidential and impartial information, advice and support, regardless of their age or mental capacity.

Whilst the Code suggests that many children and young people will access services via their parents or carers; services must make it possible for them to access services separately if they wish.

What does impartial mean:

At Bexley IASS we follow a national set of Quality Standards for all IASS services nationally providing impartial information, advice and support developed by the Department for Education, Parents, Carers and the Network of Information, Advice and Support Services.

This helps us to monitor the effectiveness of our service we provide and ensure that it is ‘at arm’s length’ from the local authority.

By this we mean that we act, and are seen to act, separately and impartially, with no undue influence or control from either the local authority or the Clinical Commissioning Group in our area. 

What does confidential mean:

Confidential means that you do not tell other people. Everything that we talk about in our meetings will be kept private and confidential. This means we will not share your information with other people outside the IASS service, including parents, teachers or social workers. We might tell our managers so they can check our work, and we might make notes on our computers so we can remember our discussions. We will keep all of this information safe.
The only time we will break confidentiality and tell someone is if;

• you give us permission by saying it is ok, or,
• we think that someone might be in danger of being hurt. In that case, we would need to tell someone to make sure that everyone is safe. 
   

Bexley IASS aims to promote good working relationships between children, young people, parents, education settings, health and Local Authority services. Empowering parents, carers and young people to play an active and informed role, ensuring their voice is heard in any decisions relating to education, health & social care support.