What is a ‘Local Offer’?

The new law says that every local authority must talk with children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities and their families to find out what sort of support and services they need.

There will be many different types of services that children and young people may need, including support services in school and specialist health services.

Children, young people and their families may also have ideas about what leisure activities should be available, and what services are needed to help young people move towards independence in adulthood.

Every local authority must have a Local Offer that is available on the internet and must make sure that people without access to the internet can also see it. The local authority must tell children and young people and their families how they can find out more about the Local Offer.

The local authority will then decide what services to make available. Every local authority must get feedback on its Local Offer from young people and their families. They must show what feedback they have been given and say how they are going to make improvements to the Local Offer and services.

A Local Offer should also include information about what transport services are available for children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities and if there is any help available to pay for these services.

The Local Offer is a free resource for residents. It gives children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and their families, information on local support services. Some of the services listed come from us, the council or NHS, but others come from external organisations – charities or businesses. Being listed in the Local Offer does not necessarily mean the service is endorsed or recommended by the council. Please check yourself to make sure it is suitable for your needs. 

In order to be listed on the Local Offer your service must give us the following information:

• The name of your service and what it does
• Where it is located
• Who the service is designed for
• How you decide who is eligible
• Accessibility
• Your safeguarding policies and quality assurance procedures
• The training your staff have regarding SEND
• Complaints contact for service users
• How potential users can request more information/start using the service
• Disclosure and Barring Service Checks for staff
• Insurance information

We reserve the right to remove your service from our Local Offer listing if there are complaints raised against it or it does not meet our standards.

Guidance on how to list your service on the Local Offer can be found here. If your service is listed, there is a responsibility on you to ensure you update your record with any changes and that the record is kept accurate and up to date.