Launch of the New SEND and Inclusion Support Line

As part of our Local First Inclusion programme, we are continuing to look for new ways to help you to support children and young people with SEND. 

There's lots of information available on both the Norfolk Schools website Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) - Norfolk Schools and Learning Providers - Norfolk County Council and the Local Offer. 

However, if you can't find the information you need to support children and young people with SEND, or those at risk of exclusion, you can now call us on 0333 313 7165 and speak to a professional for advice and information.   

The new phone line opened on Monday (23 September) and is available on weekdays from 9am until 5pm. It will make it easier for professionals and families to get the information they might need. The team can give you advice on specific children or groups of children and young people with SEND. They can also provide support to help prevent exclusions.  

We know that schools and parents can sometimes find it difficult to find the information they need, being able to talk to someone to navigate the support on offer will help ensure that the right support is available at the right time, first time.    

We're encouraging all professionals working with children and families to signpost them to this phone line, before suggesting they apply for an EHCP needs assessment. This is to make sure we're doing all we can at the earliest opportunity to support families.  The new phoneline will also help to ensure that you get to the right service and reduce the number of different teams you might need to speak to about a child. 

We hope that by getting the right support to children earlier, we can improve outcomes and reduce the need for Education Health and Care Plans and specialist places, as well as reduce exclusions. 

SENDIASS, which is an impartial service supporting families, will continue with its existing number.  The new line will replace the professionals' Inclusion Line.    

As the SEND and Inclusion support line is a new service, we will be closely monitoring it to ensure its success, gaining feedback, and developing it further over the coming weeks and months. 

 We are also working with schools and partners to develop additional opportunities, where we aim to develop a 'team around the school' approach that endeavour to wrap support around schools from a number of different professionals  - we will update you as this work develops.