Contact our special educational needs and disability (SEND) teams

We have many dedicated teams who understand that your family's needs are different to someone else's.

Over time different teams and groups will contact your family depending on your child or young person's needs.

Learn about our teams and when they may contact you.

Have you read our improvement plan for SEND in Kent (Accelerated Progress Plan)? It sets out the work we're doing to rapidly improve support for children, young people, and families over the next 12 months. Take a look and read our Accelerated Progress Plan.

Eligibility and applications

The Home to School Transport team can support you with :

• your child’s eligibility to receive transport
• Personal transport budgets
• Independent travel training.

Contact:

• email: homeschooltransport@kent.gov.uk
• call: 03000 41 21 21
• text relay: 18001 03000 41 21 21.

If your circumstances change, for example if your child changes school or address, please complete our change of details form.

Journey, operator or driver issues

Contact the Client Transport Team if you have any problems with your child's:

• journey
• vehicle
• driver
• company running the transport service

Contact:

• email: clienttransport@kent.gov.uk
• call: 03000 41 49 36
• text relay: 18001 03000 41 49 36.

Parent support

Parent support groups are there to support you and to provide impartial and confidential advice. Some parent support groups that can support you are:

• Information, Advice and Support Kent (IASK) - a free, confidential, impartial service who support you and your family. They also offer parent workshops and local events.
• Kent PACT - a parent carer forum for parents, children and young people with disabilities. Join their forum to help get your voice heard and meet other parents.

Or visit our parent support page for activities, training, sibling support plus much more!

Charities

There are also charities that will provide support to both the parents and carers as well as the children and young people with SEND.

Find a charity in your local area:

• Includes us 2 - Ashford, Dover, and Shepway
• For us too -  Canterbury, Swale, and Thanet
• We are Beams - Dartford, Gravesham, and Sevenoaks
• Space 2 Be Me - Maidstone, Tonbridge and Malling, and Tunbridge Wells.

Or why not visit our local directory to find local charities and community groups.

Short breaks

Short breaks can give you a break from caring for your disabled child or young person.

Other teams in SEND

Alternatively find out more about our teams within the SEND service and NHS, including:

• Local Inclusion Forum Team (LIFT)
• Portage
• Specialist Teaching and Learning Services (STLS).

Learn about our teams and when they may contact you.

School or college

If you are unhappy with how your child's school or college is meeting your child's needs, you should speak to your school first and then your named case worker if you have one.

If you are still unhappy, follow our schools complaints procedure.

SEND services

If you are unhappy about any of the services that we provide, we recommend you speak to the person you have been dealing with or your named case worker if you have one.

If you are still unhappy, follow our complaints procedure.

If you don't agree with a decision we've made, find out who to speak to and how to pursue mediation and your right to appeal.

Health services

When using services provided by the NHS you should know your rights.

Every person receiving treatment should have the final say over the decisions that are affecting their health.

If you are not happy with the health services that you have been provided, visit our health rights page for more information on who to contact.

SEND Information Hub feedback

If you could not find the information online or have suggestions to improve the SEND Information Hub, email yourvoice2@kent.gov.uk.