- For residents
- Schools, learning and early years
- Adult courses and learning
- Subsites
- SEND Local Offer
Resources that should be available for children and young people in mainstream educational settings.
What is Ordinarily Available Provision
pdf Ordinarily Available Provision (569 KB) is the resources and support we expect to be available for children and young people with SEND in mainstream education settings. This information is for parents and carers of children with SEND, and the professionals who work with them.
Read our pdf Guide to Ordinarily Available Provision for parent carers (310 KB) .
The information in the document is divided into two sections.
Section 1: Expectations
Section 1 covers:
- assessment
- partnerships
- pastoral care
- the learning environment
- teaching and learning strategies
- resources
- staff skills and training
- transition and transfer
Section 2: Support for broad areas of need
Section 2 covers:
- cognition and learning
- communication and interaction
- social, emotional and mental health
- sensory and physical needs
If you have questions about Ordinarily Available Provision, speak to the SEND Coordinator at your child's education setting.
A personal budget is an amount of money allocated by the council to deliver all or some of the services and support set out in your child's Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan.
Parents or carers of a child or young person with a disability or special educational need (SEN) may be entitled to a personal budget following a referral and assessment.
It gives you more choice and control over the services that your child gets.
A child or a young person may have a personal budget from:
- health
- social care
- education
These can form part of an EHC plan or be standalone plans if no educational needs are identified.
The funding is available to those children and young people with a disability or special educational need who meet the criteria for that service.
The council has a duty to prepare a personal budget when:
- you request one and it's been confirmed that an EHC plan will be prepared
- your child is assessed as having a permanent or substantial disability that has a considerable impact at home and when out and about in the community
If your child meets the eligibility criteria in more than one area and has a disability or special educational need, the resource is combined to meet the outcomes in their EHC Plan through joint planning.
A personal budget could be:
- paid to you as a direct payment so that you can buy services for your child
- held by the council (for education) or the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (for health) so that they buy in some or all of the services for your child
- managed by an individual or organisation for you
- managed using a combination of all three options. For example, we could provide a short break service and you use a direct payment to pay for a personal assistant
If your child has had an Education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment
When your child has had an Education, Health and Care needs assessment and it's been confirmed that an EHC plan will be prepared, you have the option of asking for a personal budget.
You can also ask for a Personal Budget during a statutory review of an existing EHC plan.
You can use a personal budget to pay for services identified as a need in your child's EHC plan or support plan. These can include:
- carers or personal assistants to work in the home
- aids, adaptations and equipment to help your child with everyday tasks
- activities which help you or your child to join in with local clubs or activities
You can find out more about what can be included in a personal budget in sections 9.95 to 9.118 of the SEND Code of Practice.
If your child has an EHC plan
Section J of your child's EHC Plan covers the personal budget. It describes:
- how the personal budget will support particular outcomes for your child
- how it'll be used
- how flexible you can be in using it
- details of any direct payment that will be made for social care
If your child has a Child in Need plan
The child in need plan will set out what social care, other professionals and your family agrees to do to address the needs identified in a social care assessment.
This will include what care and support is made available to the family through a direct payment or personal budget.
A social care assessment is carried out to decide how your needs can be met and whether a personal budget could meet your assessed needs.
A personal budget can be paid to you or your child if they're over 16 as direct payments to manage yourself with support from Disabled Children's Services.
What we mean by a direct payment and how to apply
Money is paid into a Bristol Direct Payment card account, which is similar to a current account from your bank. Disabled Children's Services set this account up for you.
You can use a social care personal budget to:
- employ people you want to support you
- buy a service from a care provider
- buy equipment
- buy short breaks
You may choose to employ a personal assistant to support you. In Bristol, the Disabled Children Service can support you to meet your legal obligations relating to paying employees. The inclusion team, who are part of Disabled Children's Services can help you arrange this.
Help to manage your child's social care personal budget
Social care practitioners support families who have a personal budget and can give advice on managing their direct payments You can contact them through the Disabled Children's Services team: 0117 9038250.
See our pdf guidance on using direct payments (123 KB) , which includes:
- flexible use during COVID-19
- auditing and monitoring requirements
Read our pdf report of feedback from families who had direct payments during COVID-19. (130 KB)
A personal health budget is an amount of money to support the identified healthcare and wellbeing needs of an individual.
It is planned and agreed between you, on behalf of your child, and the local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). Personal budgets are currently available through Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire CCG and are available for those who meet Children's Continuing Care criteria.
Personal health budgets are a way of giving people with complex health conditions and disabilities more choice and control over the money spent on meeting their health and wellbeing needs.
A personal health budget may be used for a range of things to meet the agreed health and wellbeing outcomes. A personalised care and support plan will identify what the budget can be used for.
You can find out more about who can have a personal health budget on the local Clinical Commissioning Group's website.
A personal education budget:
- is funding to meet the individual education needs of a child or young person in their EHC plan
- may also include additional learning support funding in their EHC plan
You can use a personal education budget to:
- add to learning support your child already gets
- fund some educational input
- fund work experience or work-based learning opportunities
- add to the technology available to your child to support how they learn
You can't use a personal education budget to fund a school or college place.
If you don't agree with the support or the amount in your child's budget, then you can make a complaint. You may wish to ask for help from an advocacy service.
Find out about and download transition packs for autistic children and young people.
These autism transition packs have information and resources to support children and young people on the autism spectrum, who are moving to a different education setting in September 2020.
There are four sets of transition packs based on age. Each set has:
- Bristol Autism Team transition plan
- resources for professionals
- signposting information for parents and professionals
The current Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) should complete the transition plan with the new SENCO and parents and carers. It's good to start planning for transition as soon as possible. If you're unable to meet physically due to restrictions, you may be able to have a virtual meeting.
Someone from the Bristol Autism team can attend the meeting if the child or young person is registered with them.
Email Bristol.Autism.HotLine@bristol.gov.uk to arrange.
If the child or young person is not registered with the Bristol Autism Team, the team can provide informal advice.
Email Bristol.Autism.HotLine@bristol.gov.uk.
Signposting for all ages of transition
Signposting information for professionals:
- Autism Education Trust: resources including the autism standards and competency framework for early years, school age and post 16
Signposting information for parents:
- Autism Education Trust: tools and resources to support your child or young person in education
- National Autistic Society: advice and support to help during key life transitions, such as changing school
- find out what support your child can get in school in our Local Offer guide
Transition packs based on age
Early years to reception
Transition plan for SENCOs
document Transition plan for pupils moving from early years to reception (79 KB)
Bristol Autism Team resources for SENCOs:
Infant to junior school
Transition plan for SENCOs
document Transition plan for pupils moving from an infant to a separate junior school (80 KB)
Bristol Autism Team resources for SENCOs:
- document One page profile examples (313 KB)
- document Social stories (484 KB)
- document Who can I speak to if, examples (49 KB)
Primary to secondary school
Transition plan for SENCOs
document Transition plan for primary to secondary school (76 KB)
Bristol Autism Team resources for SENCOs:
- document Getting ready for secondary school: practical ideas for pupils (37 KB)
- document One Page Profile examples (313 KB)
- document Social stories (476 KB)
- document Who can I speak to if (49 KB)
Secondary to Post 16
Transition plan for SENCOs
document Transition plan for secondary to post 16 (79 KB)
Bristol Autism Team resources for SENCOs:
What advice is available to support parents and carers of children and young people who have, or may have, special educational needs and disabilities.
Key contacts
- If you're concerned about a child's safety or wellbeing, you can make a referral to First Response or phone them on 0117 903 6444.
- If you're concerned about your child's learning and progress at their education setting, talk to your child's teacher or the school's SENDCO. The Ordinarily Available Provision has more information about support schools should be able to offer.
- If you need information or advice about early support for your child's additional needs, phone FLORA on 0117 352 6020, or email flora@bristol.gov.uk.
- If you have a question about how to ask for an EHC plan, phone us on 0117 922 3700.
- If you need independent information and advice, contact SEND And You (SAY) Go to https://www.sendandyou.org.uk/contact-us/ (opens new window) or see SEND And You (SAY) website Go to https://www.sendandyou.org.uk/ (opens new window)
Relationship support for parents and co-parents
Research suggests that parents of children with behaviours that challenge experience higher levels of parental stress.
Parental stress, in turn, is associated with a higher risk of relationship distress and conflict, which in turn can affect outcomes for children.
Support for interparental relationships helps you think about how to manage stress, pull together as a team and communicate better.
Support in Bristol
Families, Local Offer, Resources and Advice (FLORA)
The FLORA team provide information and advice for children and young people with additional needs and their parents and carers.
For more information, email flora@bristol.gov.uk with your name and phone number. The team will contact you as soon as possible.
You can also call FLORA on 0117 352 6020.
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Independent Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) Go to http://www.supportiveparents.org.uk (opens new window)
SEND And You (SAY) provides independent advice and support on things that relate to a child or young person's special educational needs or disabilities. It's free, confidential and impartial, and is for:
- parents and carers of children with special educational needs or disabilities
- children and young people with with special educational needs or disabilities
They're open Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4.30pm.
The Council for Disabled Children's introduction to the information advice and support service Go to https://youtu.be/54R4cDbX6L8 (opens new window) has more detail about the different types of support on offer.
Children and young people with SEND can use the service independently to ensure their views are shared, they understand educational processes and can contribute to decisions about their future.
Parents and carers with parental responsibility can use the service to understand the rights, processes and policies in place for children and young people with SEND and for support in voicing their views.
Information, advice and support may include:
- statutory work, which may lead to an education, health and care (EHC) plan
- concerns and getting help early
- SEND support in schools
- accessing services to support education
- signposting to other services
- disagreement resolution
- exclusions
Parenting courses
We offer family learning courses about autism.
We also offer parenting courses for all parents about:
- young children
- challenging behaviour
- anxiety
- teenagers
- involvement in the criminal justice system
Bristol Parent Carers Go to https://www.bristolparentcarers.org.uk/ (opens new window)
A participation group for families with children and young people with disabilities and special needs to help influence how services are run.
Carers Support Centre Go to https://www.carerssupportcentre.org.uk/our-services/parent-carers/ (opens new window)
Carers Support Centre offers a range of services for parent carers with a child age 18 or younger. These include practical and emotional support, advice and information.
HappyMaps Go to (opens new window)
HappyMaps is for parents to find useful resources on behaviour and mental health for their children, from babies to young adults. There is general national information and also local information on counselling, charities, local CAMHS (Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services) and parenting groups for the South West.
Healthwatch Bristol Go to https://healthwatchbristol.co.uk/ (opens new window)
Helps families have their voice heard in decisions about health and social care services.
Bristol Autism Support Go to (opens new window) (BAS)
A not-for-profit social enterprise providing information, support and training for parents and carers of autistic children in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. You do not need a diagnosis of autism to access the support.
Off The Record for parents Go to https://www.otrbristol.org.uk/parents-and-professionals/ (opens new window)
Mental health support. Find a downloadable parents' pack, local parent carer support group and helpline.
The Autism Page
A collection of resources created by a local mother of an autistic child.
The Family Centre (Deaf Children) Go to https://fcdc.org.uk/ (opens new window)
Supports families with a deaf child or a deaf parent. They run a range of activities, including family sessions, a kids club, a youth club, family sign language tuition.
Ups and Downs South West Go to https://www.upsanddowns.net/ (opens new window)
Local charity that deals with the health and education of children and young people who have Down Syndrome. They offer support to children and young people, their parents/carers and all linked professionals.
Murmuration Community Therapy Go to https://murmurationcommunitytherapy.weebly.com (opens new window)
Murmuration sets up nurture groups, which are small groups for 6 to 8 SEND parents nurturing connection and belonging, starting with an 8 week mental wellness course. Murmuration supports each group to continue as they wish, being there for each other as friends, connecting as families or continuing to meet as a group.
Your child could be at pre-diagnosis stage or you could be years into the journey. All are welcome, whatever the disability or neurodivergence.
New groups start regularly throughout the year, sometimes with specific parent groups. Get in touch to learn more and join the waiting list for the next start dates:
- email murmurationct@gmail.com
- text 07792 189 909
National support
Contact Go to https://contact.org.uk/ (opens new window)
Advice, information and support for parents of disabled children, whatever their health condition. They also bring families together so they can support each other.
Guide Dogs Go to https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/services-we-provide (opens new window)
Guide Dogs provide services for children, young people and families. Find support:
- for your family
- to guide your child through school
- with assistive technology and sensory toys
- to help your child read
- for help with early diagnosis
- to develop life skills
- to get out and about safely
You can visit their website or call them on 0800 781 1444 or email on children@guidedogs.org.uk
Cerebra Go to http://www.cerebra.org.uk/ (opens new window)
Supports families with children aged under 17 affected by a neurological condition such as:
- neuro-genetic conditions
- cerebral palsy
- epilepsy
- developmental delay
- autism
- ADHD
- learning difficulties
Children's Education Advisory Service (CEAS) Go to https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/the-childrens-education-advisory-service-ceas (opens new window)
Provides advice to service and MOD families about the education of service children, including issues relating to SEND.
Sense Go to https://www.sense.org.uk/ (opens new window)
Supports children, young people and adults with sensory impairment, and their families. The people we support are deafblind, or sometimes have single sensory impairment with additional needs and/or multi sensory impairment.
ERIC Go to https://www.eric.org.uk/ (opens new window)
The only charity dedicated to the bowel and bladder health of all children and teenagers in the UK. They provide expert support, information and understanding to children, teenagers, parents, carers and professionals.
Independent Parental Special Educational Advice Go to https://www.ipsea.org.uk/ (opens new window)
The IPSEA helpline operates as a call back service, offering 30 minute telephone advice sessions.
Scope Go to https://www.scope.org.uk/family-services/ (opens new window)
Scope Navigate
Offers a phone service called Navigate Go to https://www.scope.org.uk/family-services/navigate/ (opens new window) that provides support at the start of your journey as a parent of a disabled child. It's a 6 week programme that aims to put you in touch with a personal advisor, helping you to talk about your feelings and concerns.
Phone them on 0808 801 0510. They're open:
- Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm
- Saturday, 9am to 12pm
Scope Disability Energy Support
Scope's Disability Energy Support service provides free energy advice to any household where a disabled person lives across England and Wales.
Book an appointment at Scope Disability Energy Support Go to http://www.scope.org.uk/disability-energy-support (opens new window).
Freephone: 0808 801 0828, Monday to Friday 11am to 4pm, excluding bank holidays.
Email: disability.energysupport@scope.org.uk.
GOV.UK Go to https://www.gov.uk/browse/disabilities (opens new window)
Information about benefits and financial help for disabled people with disabilities.
Disabled Children's Partnership Go to https://www.mencap.org.uk/get-involved/campaign-mencap/disabled-childrens-partnership (opens new window)
A group of 60 disability and children's organisations campaigning for improved health and social care.
AccessAble Go to (opens new window)
AccessAble publish accessibility information for places of interest in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. They have accessibility information about venues in Bristol Go to https://www.accessable.co.uk/organisations/bristol-city-council/access_guides (opens new window).
National Autistic Society Go to https://www.autism.org.uk/ (opens new window)
Provides support and services for autistic people (including those with Asperger's syndrome), their parents and carers, and professionals.
National Deaf Children's Society
Childhood deafness charity for every deaf child, no matter the child's level or type of deafness or how they communicate.
Provides free, independent support and information to:
- parents and carers
- deaf children and young people
- extended family members
- professionals
Provides opportunities to connect with other families and professionals through events, online forums and local groups.
Rainbow Trust Children's Charity Go to https://www.rainbowtrust.org.uk/ (opens new window)
Provides emotional and practical support to families who have a child with life-threatening or terminal illness. They support seriously ill children, up to the age of 18 with a life threatening or terminal condition, and their families in the family home and local community.
Referrals can come from any source. They enable families to manage everyday life whilst caring for a sick child and to make the most of time together.
Call 07825 601 354 to find out about the services in the South West.
Tourettes Action
A leading support and research charity for people with Tourette Syndrome and their families.
Sibs
Provides support to people who grow up with, or have grown up with, a disabled brother or sister.
The Stroke Association
Offers a childhood stroke support service, providing information, advice and networking events to families affected by stroke in childhood. Contact them online or call 0303 3033 100.
The Nystagmus Network
provides a number of free to download resources, which contain practical information and advice for parents and carers who have a child with nystagmus.
The Listening Ear
The Listening Ear is from the charity Contact (for families with disabled children). They offer one to one telephone appointments with a family support adviser for parent carers looking for a listening ear, reassurance and practical and emotional support.
Wellbeing videos
The educational psychology team have created 3 videos with psychologist Ross McIntosh to support parents and carers with their wellbeing.
View the videos on our YouTube playlist:
If you know of any organisations that should be on this list please let us know by emailing us at bristollocaloffer@bristol.gov.uk or using our feedback form.
Page 5 of 15
- Schools, learning and early years
- School admissions
- School closures
- Find a school
- School term and holiday dates
- Early years and childcare
- Special educational needs and disability
- Education outside mainstream schools
- Free school meals and school travel support
- Adult courses and learning
- Information for young people in Bristol
- Children in care or previously looked after children
- Governing schools and academies
- What the council spends on schools
- Complain about a school