Consent for young people using SENDIAS
If a young person is over the compulsory school age, we will need their consent to:
- discuss the details of their situation with you (their parent or carer)
- help you with options for decisions about them
- help you with paperwork
- confirm you can attend meetings
We are required to ask for consent because of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
They are over the compulsory school age if they turned 16 by the end of the school year, and are under 25.
When a young person can give consent
To give consent, a young person must be able to:
- understand the information they need to make a decision
- remember that information long enough to make the decision
- use the information when deciding
- communicate their decision in any way
Your child might tell us:
- "I would like SENDIAS to help my parent or carer with my case"
- "I would like to be involved in discussions"
- "I understand SENDIAS will keep my information safe"
- "I am happy for SENDIAS to see documents about my SEND support, such as my SEN Support plan or EHC plan"
Helping your child understand SENDIAS
Share information about SENDIAS with your child if it is appropriate to do so. This helps them understand what they are agreeing to.
You can:
- watch our 5-minute animation explaining SENDIAS
- watch our 90-second video about how Bucks SENDIAS works
- read our What to expect from Bucks SENDIAS page
How to give SENDIAS consent
They can tell us their decision by:
- completing our online contact form
- emailing sendias@buckinghamshire.gov.uk
- leaving a voicemail on 01296 383754
- speaking to a member of our team by phone or in person
If they use the online form, they can upload evidence of their consent, such as:
- a photo
- an audio recording
- a document
If your child is able to give consent but does not want SENDIAS to work with you on their behalf, tell us.
In this situation, we can only provide you with general information about:
- SEND law
- SEND processes
- local services and support available
You can also:
- browse our website for advice
- contact us online
- use our webchat service on Mondays from 1pm to 3pm and Fridays from 10am to midday during term time
Our advisers can work directly with young people. If your child wishes, we can also involve you in discussions and meetings.
Sometimes a young person may not have the capacity to make a decision about SENDIAS involvement because of a significant learning difficulty.
For example, this may apply to some young people attending specialist schools or colleges for students with learning difficulties.
If you believe your child cannot give consent, let us know.
Consent can change
Consent is not permanent. Your child can change their mind at any time.
A young person's ability to make decisions can also change over time. Please tell us if anything changes.
Each year that you contact SENDIAS, we will check whether the consent arrangements are still correct.
More information about giving consent
Read the information under the 'Mental capacity and decision making' heading in the section 4 dropdown (Community inclusion) on our preparing for adulthood page.