Parents & Carers

Contacts, Consultations & Training

PIAS (Plymouth Information Advice and Support for SEND)

Every local authority needs to have an IAS Service. They offer information, advice, signposting and support for families with children with SEND.

Local Offer (SEND part of the Plymouth online directory)

This is where you will find information on all of the SEND services that you should need eg local schools or activities.

Friends and Families of Special Children

For activities and support for families with children and young people with additional needs and their siblings.

Plymouth Autism Parent Support Group

Share your experiences in this monthly support group run by parents for parents. It offers the opportunity to pick up and share new strategies in a private, safe and understanding environment. For more information about this group, please view the Facebook page or email plymouthparentsupport@nas.org.uk

Budd Club

Bud Club is a completely FREE fortnightly, family-friendly activity club set up to help the whole family, where a child is affected by mental health or neurodevelopmental difficulties. Families can spend time doing art, games, sporting, and outdoor activities in a low-key, non-judgmental way. For more information view the Facebook page or email giveachildachance@sky.com.

Cornwall Parent Carer Council

If you live in Cornwall or you use services there, you may wish to visit the Cornwall Parent Carer Voice Group.

Contact (used to be Contact a Family)

Loads of information and advice for families with children and young people with SEND

Family Fund

An organisation that give grants to families with children and young people with SEND. This may be means tested.

Auditory Processing Disorder

FREE information about Auditory Processing Disorder/APD and links to support for living with this disabling condition.

National Autistic Society

The UK’s leading charity for people on the autism spectrum and their families. They provide support, guidance and advice, as well as campaigning for improved rights, services and opportunities to help create a society that works for autistic people.

Council for Disabled Children - Early Years (link)

The Early Years SEND Partnership is a national programme supporting professionals and parents. You can find out about training and resources to increase access and inclusion in early years for children with SEN and Disabilities.

ICAN (link)

ICAN help children communicate. This group run regular TALK (Talking Activities for Little Kids) webinars for parents who are concerned about their child’s language development.

Time to Talk Next Steps (link)

Time to Talk Next Steps is free support for young people aged 16-25 years in England with additional needs. It is for young people who are experiencing anxiety, isolation and who have limited or no plans for the future. This program currently has various start dates up until June 2022.

Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (link)

This page has several different courses and information sheets about Autism.

Past Consultations

The consultations below are no longer active but can be viewed for your reference.

Consultation Name – Housing Options for Young People with Support Needs
Organisation –
Date Expired – August 18, 2026

Consultation Name – An exploration of the interaction between parents and Educational Psychologists as part of the Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) Process Since Covid-19
Organisation –
Date Expired – August 18, 2026

Consultation Name – Parent Carer’s Views about Special Schools
Organisation – Exeter University
Date Expired – August 1, 2026

Consultation Name – Parents/carers who have applied for an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment for their child.
Organisation – This is an opportunity to have your views heard, as part of a national survey
Date Expired – January 31, 2024

Consultation Name – Exploring the risks of Tinder, Snapchat, TikTok, and the safeguarding steps you can implement to keep your children safe online
Organisation –
Date Expired – August 31, 2023

Consultation Name – Proposals for a new Social Care facility for adults with a learning disability close to Central Park
Organisation –
Date Expired – April 30, 2023

Consultation Name – Survey for parent carers of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (0-25). Along with NHS England they are working to better understand the experience of families
Organisation – The South West region of Parent Carer Forums
Date Expired – December 21, 2022

Consultation Name – The Annual Childcare Parents Survey
Organisation –
Date Expired – December 15, 2022

Consultation Name – Your (and your children’s) views on short-sightedness
Organisation – University of Bradford
Date Expired – October 4, 2022

Consultation Name – SEND Review: Right support, right place, right time
Organisation –
Date Expired – July 22, 2022

Consultation Name – Revised Behaviour in Schools Guidance and Suspension and Permanent Exclusion Guidance
Organisation –
Date Expired – March 31, 2022

Consultation Name – The Parent Carer Wellbeing Study
Organisation –
Date Expired – March 1, 2022

Consultation Name – Healthwatch Plymouth
Organisation –
Date Expired – February 28, 2022

Consultation Name – PIAS website consultation
Organisation – Plymouth Information Advice & Support for SEND
Date Expired – February 1, 2022

Consultation Name – Consultation on developing accessible assessment
Organisation –
Date Expired – January 24, 2022

Consultation Name – Bringing Us Together Advocacy Project
Organisation –
Date Expired – November 1, 2021

Consultation Name – The National Autistic Society survey for the Criminal Justice System
Organisation – The National Autistic Society
Date Expired – October 1, 2021

Consultation Name – The School Attendance and Home Learning Survey
Organisation –
Date Expired – October 1, 2021

Consultation Name – DLA/PIP Call for Evidence from Plymouth Families
Organisation – DLA/PIP
Date Expired – September 30, 2021

Consultation Name – SEND Service Review
Organisation – Plymouth City Council
Date Expired – August 24, 2021

Consultation Name – Behaviour Management Strategies Consultation
Organisation –
Date Expired – August 10, 2021

Consultation Name – Count the Costs: How has the pandemic affected your family’s finances?
Organisation –
Date Expired – July 7, 2021

Consultation Name – Children and Young People’s Mental Health Inquiry
Organisation –
Date Expired – February 26, 2021

Consultation Name – Consultation on how GCSE, AS and A level grades should be awarded in summer 2021
Organisation –
Date Expired – January 29, 2021

Consultation Name – Parenting Styles and Children’s Peer Relationships
Organisation –
Date Expired – January 1, 2021

Consultation Name – Plymouth Child Development Centre
Organisation –
Date Expired – January 1, 2021

Consultation Name – Parent Carer Ofsted Event on Vulnerability
Organisation – CDC
Date Expired – January 1, 2021

Consultation Name – Assessing Parental Autism Courses
Organisation –
Date Expired – January 1, 2021

Consultation Name – I Can: Supporting children and young people with communication and understanding
Organisation –
Date Expired – January 1, 2021

Consultation Name – CDC Website Survey
Organisation – CDC
Date Expired – January 1, 2021

Consultation Name – Accessing mental health services within Plymouth: 16-25 year-olds
Organisation –
Date Expired – January 1, 2021

Consultation Name – Supported Employment Services
Organisation –
Date Expired – January 1, 2021

Consultation Name – A survey to explore parent and carer knowledge, confidence and access to information when making a request for an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment
Organisation –
Date Expired –

Consultation Name – Educational difficulties encountered with Deafblindness
Organisation –
Date Expired –

Consultation Name – Mayflower Medical Group Survey
Organisation – Mayflower Medical Group
Date Expired –

Active Consultations

Consultation Name – The Attend Well Project
Organisation – Attend Well
Details –

The Attend Well project is inviting parents/carers to complete a survey if their child is aged between 11 and 18 and has ever found it difficult to attend school. The study is funded for 5 years by the National Institute of Health Research and aims to develop a programme to helps schools support students more effectively.

Parents can sign-up to take part or find out more via our website or social media:

Instagram: @attendwellproject
LinkedIn: Attend Well Project
Facebook: Attend Well Study

Link– https://attendwell.org.uk/
Expiry –

Future Recommissioning - Children & Young People Community Services

Please see video below

The 10 Wishes

“Ten Wishes” were created with youth participation as a reminder about what children and young people in Plymouth need from professionals to help keep them safe and feel valued. There is a booklet and film which explain how the wishes are important to children and young people and how we can all as individual professionals and organisations put their wishes into practice.