If I tell you something - do you tell my child's school?

No - we only contact a school or pass on information if you give us permission. The only time that we would talk to someone else without your permission is if we think that you or your child is at serious risk.

Can you help me to ask for a statutory assessment for my child?
Yes – we can help you to plan what you want to say, and explain how to put together your letter. However, we always encourage you to work in partnership with your child’s school and can help you to discuss your plans with them as well.

Can you support me at a meeting?
An officer will try to be available to go with you to a meeting if it is about your child’s education, and if there are reasons why you would find it difficult to go alone. However, we do ask that you give us plenty of notice. If we do not have anybody available we will help you to prepare for the meeting.

Can you assess my child’s special needs?
No – we offer information and guidance about special education procedures, but we are not specialists in assessing children. However, we can help you to find out what assessments have been done, give you information about who can do assessments, and support you to ask for further assessment.

What are special educational needs ( SEN ) ?
According to the SEN Code of Practice (Section 1.3) "Children have special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made for them." This could be because they have significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age, or a disability which affects their education.

Do you give legal advice?
Our officers are trained to give you information and to help you to explore your options. We do not tell you what to do. Many parents / carers find that with information and support they are able to made decisions and represent themselves. However, some people do prefer to get legal advice and if you go to our Useful Links page there is information about where to find out more about this.

Can you help me to make a complaint about the way decisions have been made about my child's education?
Yes - We help parents to find the right way to voice their complaint, and offer guidance and support to try to find a solution. This may involve school staff and governors, local authority, mediation services or going to a tribunal or appeal.

How are you managed and funded?
Every PPS is a member of the National Parent Partnership Service Network (NPPSN) and must work to national minimum standards "Increasing Parent Confidence". Our PPS is managed by Telford & Wrekin Council for Voluntary Service. It receives funding from Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council to enable it to deliver its core service. It also receives additional project funding from time to time from the local authorities, and from other funders.

Parent Partnership Service - Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin
Telford & Wrekin CVS - Registered Charity Number 702589