Contact our special educational needs and disability teams
We would like your views on your experience of using our SEND information hub (local offer), and would be grateful if you could take a couple of minutes to complete the following survey.
Our SEND information is filled with advice and information to support you. Whether you're looking for help about:
Or why not visit our local directory to find local charities and community groups.
SEND enquiries hub
Making it easier to get in touch
We know that we haven’t been easy to contact so we have created a new SEND enquiries hub, to help with questions about SEND support, assessments, placements and education health and care (EHC) plans or put you in touch with the right caseworker if needed.
The SEND enquiries hub is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.
Contact the SEND enquiries hub
- Email send@kent.gov.uk
- Call 03000 41 99 94.
Requesting an education, health and needs assessment
Before requesting an EHC needs assessment, visit our 'what to do if you think your child has special educational needs' page, where you will find a step by step process of who to talk to and how they can help you.
If after speaking with the education setting, you feel that an EHC needs assessment is appropriate, this can be requested. The EHC needs assessment process can take up to 20 weeks.
Other teams in SEND
Without our SEND service, we have many dedicated teams who understand that each family's needs and path are different, and throughout your time with us we'll connect your family with different support groups along the way.
If your SEN officer or SEN area team cannot answer your transport question, you can contact us as below.
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. Contact:
Or visit our parent support page for activities, training, sibling support plus much more!
Charities
Contact one of the following charities for your area:
- Includes us 2 - Ashford, Dover and Shepway
- For us too - Canterbury, Swale, Thanet
- We are Beams - Dartford, Gravesham and Sevenoaks
- Space 2 Be Me - Maidstone, Tonbridge and Malling, 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)
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, 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 you were looking for on our SEND information hub and would like to leave feedback, email yourvoice2@kent.gov.uk and a member of our improvement team will contact you back.