2:50 pm, Friday, 7th January 2022

North East Lincolnshire SENDIASS Service Tender

Joint Communication from Barnardo’s and NELC

North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC) are undertaking a competitive tendering process for an organisation to deliver their SENDIASS Service from 1st April 2022 – 31st March 2027. Link: https://sendlocaloffer.nelincs.gov.uk/sendiass-tender/

The timeframe for the tendering process has had to be extended resulting in an interim arrangement between Barnardo’s and NELC been agreed. The interim agreement sets out what the SENDIASS offer in North East Lincolnshire is able to provide from 01.01.22 until 31. 03.22. The successful applicant for the tender will be in place as at 01.04.2022.

 From the 1st January 2022 NEL SENDIASS will:

  1. Provide a service Monday – Friday 9am – 4pm (with an answerphone available outside these hours)
  2. Respond to new enquiries via phone, answerphone, webchat, and email within 5 working days and no longer than 10 days
  3. Offer face to face support for:
    1. mediation preparation/attendance
    1. tribunal preparation/attendance
    1. Permanent exclusion preparation/attendance
  4. checklists of how best to prepare for meetings
  5. Provide template letters/fact sheets to support parents/carers with form filling and letter writing
  6. Signpost parents/carers and professionals to recorded workshops / training opportunities on our website/other websites
  7. Direct Access Pathway related enquiries to the Access Pathway Team

Please note that unless there are exceptional circumstances during this interim period SENDIASS will not be able to offer 1:1 support for school meetings (re the graduated approach, Annual Review meetings, Emergency Review meetings, etc); or check Draft EHC Plans.

Barnardo’s will continue to work closely with NELC and partner agencies throughout the tendering process to ensure that parents/carers of children with SEND, and young people with SEND have minimal distribution to the support they need during this interim transition period. 

Other sources of information, support and guidance which you may find helpful are: