Tameside Parent Partnership Service
Tameside Parent Partnership Service
Special Educational Needs
What is the Role of the Parent Partnership Service?- Range of Support
- How to Make a Referral
- Principles and Values
- What Work with Parents Might Include
- Alternate Formats
Local Education Authorities are under a statutory duty to provide a Parent Partnership Service. Tameside's service is funded and managed by Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council.
What is the Role of the Parent Partnership Service?
The service is available for any Tameside parents whose child/ren has or may be identified as having Special Educational Needs (SEN).
Tameside Parent Partnership Service aims to encourage and develop partnership between parents, schools, the local education authority and all other partners who are involved in working to identify, assess and meet the special educational needs of children. The service offers impartial information, guidance and support to parents of children who have special/additional educational needs. The service is available for parents of children/young people with additional needs, including the very young (0-19 years).
Range of Support
The range and duration of support will vary dependent on the individual needs of the case. Parents are always welcome to seek further assistance from the service.
How to make a Referral
Primarily the service operates by a parent 'self referral' process. However, on occasions it may be considered appropriate for a professional to make contact with the service on behalf of the parent. The service will act upon such requests only on the full understanding that parental consent has been given.
The service is available:
- Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday: 8.30am - 5.00pm
- Thursday: 8.30am - 4.30pm
- Friday: 8.30am - 4.00pm
It may not always be possible to speak with a member of the team during the times specified, due to outside office appointments, etc. However, the service does operate an answer machine service, so that messages may be left at any time.
Principles and Values
Our work with parents will be done in a way which promotes the following principles and values:
- Equality - The service operates an open access policy. It aims to ensure that all parents have the same ease of access and are not restricted for any reason. The intention being to remove barriers (real or perceived), eg. disability, cultural or language differences. The service listens to parents' views and values parents' contribution and feelings.
- Impartiality - The intention is to provide information to enable parents to make their own informed choices. It is not the role of the service to give direct advice concerning an individual child, but to remain impartial in respect of information and support it provides.
- Confidentiality - Client confidentiality is respected. Information will be shared only with the understanding and consent of the parents.
- Independence - The service can 'signpost' parents to alternative sources or support.
Work with Parents may include...
The aim is to enable parents to become more effective parents in the identification and assessment of Special Educational Needs and provision required in meeting those needs by offering any or all of the following:
| Provide personal and confidential help as appropriate (eg. home visits, accompany parents to meetings, telephone help line, assistance with letter writing). | Encourage partnership and dialogue between parents, LEAs, schools, early years providers, voluntary organisations and other agencies. | |||
| Provide other sources of information about SEN at local, regional or national levels, eg. how Tameside Education Authority procedures and practices meet the special educational needs of children and young people. Provide information and guidance for parents about the special needs process and statutory assessment procedures. | ||||
| Encourage and sustain parent consultative/support groups offering opportunity for parents to influence SEN policy and practice. |
Tameside Parent Partnership Service |
Provide information about organisations or contacts you may find helpful. | ||
| Provide full access to information and individual support, offering a range of flexible services, ensuring parents are provided with accurate, impartial information on their rights, roles and responsibilities within the SEN process and are made aware of the range of options available to them. | ||||
Download a copy of the Parnt Parentship Leaflet 100.33 KB 
Alternative Formats
This information is produced by Tameside Parent Partnership Service. If you require information in another format, please contact the service (eg. Braille, large print, audio tapes or community language).
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 Send us a Message |
 Parent Partnership Service Tameside MBC Council Offices Wellington Road Ashton under Lyne Lancs OL6 6DL View local map 
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 0161 342 3383
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 0161 342 3305
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