The Local Offer
What is the Local Offer?
Every local authority must publish a Local Offer. The Local Offer tells you what support the local authority expects to be available for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities. It must include information about education, health and care provision. It should also tell you about training, employment and independent living for young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
You can find the Local Offer for Rotherham Local Authority at https://www.rotherhamsendlocaloffer.org.uk/
Who is it for?
The Local Offer is for:
- children and young people with SEN and/or disabilities from birth to the age of 25
- their parents and carers
- practitioners and professionals.
The Local Offer should:
- make it easier to find out what you need to know
- give you information about what is available
- tell you where you can get further information.
The Local Offer should also make services more responsive to local needs.
The SEND Code of Practice says that the Local Offer should:
- provide clear, comprehensive, accessible and up-to-date information about the available provision and how to access it
- make provision more responsive to local needs and aspirations by directly involving disabled children and those with SEN and their parents, and disabled young people and those with SEN, and service providers in its development and review (4.2)
What does it include?
The Local Offer includes information on:
- how children and young peoples’ needs are identified within Rotherham
- how their needs are assessed
- the special educational, health and social care provision for children and young people with SEN or disabilities
- opportunities for training and employment
- support for independent living
- how provision is funded
- leisure activities and support groups
- where you can find more information, advice and support
- arrangements for travel to and from school and other settings
- the help available to resolve disagreements.
The Local Offer must also tell you about services provided outside your area which local people are likely to use.
You can find the full list of what must be included in the SEND Code of Practice section 4.30.