The Children and Families Bill 2014 places a requirement on local authorities and schools to publish and keep under review information about the services they expect to be available for children and young people with Special Educational Needs(SEN) aged 0-25. This is the “Local Offer”.

Please click here further information. Please see our SEND policy and Appendix 1 Provision Map outlined in the document below and in addition the Central Bedfordshire SEND guidelines document.

Free help and advice is available from Central Bedfordshire's SEND Parent & Young Person Partnership Service team.

Useful links:

https://cbsendiass.org/
We are a free, impartial and confidential service offering young people with SEND and their families information or support around all aspects of SEND.  We have a new independent website packed full of information which we hope is useful to young people and their families as well as professionals.

Neurodiversity Support Pack

Together with parents and carers we have developed a ‘Diagnosis Support Pack’ on our website for families and children with a neurodiversity. It contains a wide range of information, resources and support in a variety of formats, on topics such as sleep, sensory processing, supporting communication, and mental health. Our webpages are available in easy read formats and can be translated into many different languages using the recite me toolbar at the top of the page.

https://www.cambscommunityservices.nhs.uk/beds-luton-community-paediatrics/diagnosis-support-pack

Local offer

You can find lots of helpful information for families and children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) on your local authority 'Local Offer' website.

• For families in Bedford Borough this can be found here:
  https://sendguide.bedford.gov.uk
• For families in Central Bedfordshire this can be found here:
  https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/localoffer
• For Families in Luton this can be found here:
  https://directory.luton.gov.uk/kb5/luton/directory/localoffer.page

Parent Carer Forums

Parent’s/Carers may also want to sign up to their local parent carer forum, for parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities. To find out more about what they do please find the contact details below:

Bedford Borough Parent Carer Forum:

• Website: https://www.bbpcf.co.uk/
• Email: communications@bbpcf.org.uk
• Telephone: 07943524553

Central Beds Parent Carer Forum (SNAP):

• Website: http://www.snappcf.org.uk/
• Email: admin@snappcf.org.uk
• Telephone: 07984 545044

Luton Parent Carer Forum (EPIC Luton):

• Website: https://www.facebook.com/epicluton/

SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs and disability Information, Advice and Support Service) offers a free, confidential support service for young people with SEND and their parents and carers.

• For families in Bedford Borough: https://bedfordsendiass.org/
• For families in Central Bedfordshire: https://cbsendiass.org/
• For families in Luton: https://sendiasluton.co.uk/contact-us/

Local Authority Early Help Services

Beds Borough Early help:
https://www.bedford.gov.uk/social-care-health-and-community/children-young-people/help-for-families/

Luton Borough Council Early Help:
https://www.luton.gov.uk/Health_and_social_care/children_and_family_services/family-support-guidance/earlyhelp/Pages/EHA.aspx

Central Bedfordshire Council Early help:
http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/school/professionals/information-practitioners/early-help-offer.aspx

For further information on Sensory Differences:
https://www.cambscommunityservices.nhs.uk/Bedfordshire/services/occupational-therapy/sensory-processing-awareness-training

Further information on Speech, Language and Communication Needs:
https://www.cambscommunityservices.nhs.uk/beds-luton-community-paediatrics/diagnosis-support-pack/supporting-social-communications-development
and
https://childspeechbedfordshire.nhs.uk/information-and-advice/

We would appreciate any feedback you have on using the online referral portal, your feedback enables us to develop the portal to ensure it is effective. Please click this link to fill in our feedback form https://www.oc-meridian.com/cambsCommunityServices/completion/custom/default.aspx?slid=1780&did=