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<p>The department places a high priority on supporting parents and carers of children
with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).</p><p>Engaging parents fully
in determining support for children with SEND is a critical part of the SEND reforms.
Section 19 of the Children and Families Act places a duty on local authorities and
others to listen to and take account of the views of parents in SEND matters.</p><p>The
department continues to support families by funding parent carer forums (PCF) in each
local authority area, providing £15,000 per year per PCF. The department also funds
plus £1.9 million per year until March 2020 to support strategic participation and
co-production with local authorities and other partners, by parents and young people
through the charity Contact.</p><p>The department is also providing £20 million until
March 2020 to improve the quality of local authority SEND Information, Advice and
Support Services (IASS), and to provide a national helpline and online support.</p><p>The
IASS support builds on the £60m per year Independent Supporters programme (between
2014-18), which provided support to families going through the Education, Health and
Care needs assessment and plan process.</p>
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