On this page: Information about the Swindon Parent Partnership Service (SPPS), which provides advice and support, within the Borough of Swindon, for parents of schoolchildren who have special educational needs (SEN).
SPPS is an 'in-house' service, operating at arms-length from Swindon Borough Council.
Service Level
Swindon Parent Partnership Service will have a new manager in October, Helen Hancox, due to the retirement at the end of August of the existing manager.
During this period of transition every effort will be made to support parents but there may be limitations to the level of support the service is able to provide.
Work will be prioritised on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the level of need and any deadlines that must to be met.
We will do our best to meet your needs but would appreciate your patience and support. Please do not hesitate to contact us (please see below) if you have any queries.
Advice and Support for Parents
SPPS understands the procedures and rules for the provision of education and support and so can assist parents with guidance about:
- Local authority processes and procedures
- Parents' rights and responsibilities
- The options open to them
- Achieving the most appropriate education for their child(ren).
SPPS offers parents and carers independent impartial information and support in all aspects of children’s educational needs - particularly during Statutory Assessment.
Tasks it Can Help with
Some of the things SPPS can help with:
- Helping prepare for and supporting them at meetings
- Making a case for a particular type of provision or level of support
- Writing letters to the local authority
- Understanding their child’s proposed statement and attached reports
- Negotiating with professionals over any changes to the statement
- Preparing a draft contribution to their child’s Statutory Assessment
- Helping parents prepare for, and support them at, Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunals
Sometimes most importantly, it can help by just being a listening ear.
SPPS Choice Adviser Project (CAP)
CAP offers parents and carers independent information and support about applying for their child’s primary or secondary school places.
How CAP can Help
- With application forms (online or paper)
- Looking at all the options
- Giving up-to-date information about schools
- Explaining about equal preference
- Signposting
- Specialist schools, faith schools and the Academy
- Organising transport
- Admission Appeals
Contact CAP
Choice Adviser Project (CAP)
Tel: 01793 466417
Contact
Manager
E-mail: hhancox@swindon.gov.uk
Tel: 01793 466494
Case Worker & Choice Adviser
E-mail: jgould@swindon.gov.uk
Tel: 01793 466417 or 01793 466515
Business Support Officer
E-mail: mtrant@swindon.gov.uk
Tel: 01793 466515
Questionnaire
If you prefer, you can contact us by completing our online enquiry questionnaire:
Online Enquiry Questionnaire
Feedback
If you've used this service, we would be very interested to hear what you think of it.
Please complete our feedback form, which is available as a downloadable file:
Service Evaluation Form - Swindon Parent Partnership Service (PDF 49 kb)