Working in Partnership with Parents

The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Code of Practice (2015) sets out clear expectations that organisations, parents and carers work together to make decisions about how to achieve the best possible educational and social outcomes for a pupil with SEND - so they can go on to lead emotionally resilient and fulfilled lives.

This course is based on the professional experiences of staff based in local authority Information, Advice and Support Services, who work to improve relationships with the parents/carers* of children with SEND. It summarises parental needs, explores the issues and recommends strategies to improve the working partnership between parents and carers, schools and local authorities. An overview of the features of a welcoming school highlights how to facilitate discussions and reach decisions. We provide a few useful tools to enhance your teaching practice too.

This self-paced and self-directed short course takes approximately 5 hours to complete and is grouped into chapters so you can begin your learning journey at a point that best responds to your information needs. At the end of the course, you can purchase a certificate of achievement once you gain 70% or more in our end of course quiz.

Aimed at professionals working with pupils with SEND, this course is ideal for teachers and support staff that are new to their role and the graduated approach. This course can also support the information needs of the ‘community’ or ‘team around the child’ and will be useful to school governors, parents and carers, or those individuals working in the voluntary, community or faith sectors.

* Through-out this short course, the term ‘parents’ refers to parents, carers and other individuals who have parental or custodial responsibility for a child or young person with autism.

This course is structured into four sections. Click on the section headings to reveal page titles.