Parents' Advice Centre (PAC)
The Parents Advice Centre (PAC) has provided the statutory Parent Partnership Service for Tower Hamlets for over 20 years. From September 1, 2014 in light of the Children and Families Act and the new SEN Code of Practice, the service will be extended to provide the SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs and Disability Information and Advice Service) for Tower Hamlets.
The PAC is a self-referring service which offers advice, information and support to parents, carers of children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN) from birth to 25 and young people 16 to 25 independent of their parents.
We have a successful Independent Parental Supporter (volunteer) programme to increase our capacity to provide a range of services.
The PAC provides the following services:
The PAC is a self-referring service which offers advice, information and support to parents, carers of children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN) from birth to 25 and young people 16 to 25 independent of their parents.
We have a successful Independent Parental Supporter (volunteer) programme to increase our capacity to provide a range of services.
The PAC provides the following services:
- telephone advice line Monday – Friday 9am–5pm
- drop-in service for parents and carers every Tuesday and Friday 9.30am–3pm
- fortnightly drop-in for young people
- advice, information and support on Education, Health and Social Care
- independent support function for all parents whose children are being assessed for an Education Health Care (EHC) plan
- independent support function for young people who are being assessed for EH plan
- case work for more complex cases for parents and young people
- SEND Young People Forum
- specialist support groups for parents e.g. SEN support group, Dyslexia Support Group, ADHD support group, Bengali parent support group
- signposting to the Local offer
- co-ordination of parent participation in conjunction with parent/carer forum (PACSEN)
- training for parents, young people and professionals
- mediation service for schools and parents
- mediation service for colleges and schools and young people.