About WIASS

We are a free service providing the local confidential and impartial (objective) information, advice and support to children and young people (aged 0 to 25) with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and their parents.

Nationally our services are known as Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Services (SENDIASS).

We are a statutory service, meaning that all local authorities (LA) have to make sure that an information, advice and support service is available to you, your child or young person.

Our service

Our service is for families who live in the borough of Wandsworth only. It does not matter if your daughter/son attends a nursery, school, or college in another borough.

Our service is provided at arm’s length from the local authority and local health groups to ensure our impartiality and confidentiality.

We are part of the national Information, Advice and Support Services Network (IASSN for SEND).

We are legally trained on special educational needs and disability law by Independent Provider of Special Education Advice (IPSEA).

Our values and aim

We believe that children and young people can achieve their potential if they and their families receive good quality information, advice and support and are at the centre of decision making.

Meet the team

Rina Patel - Manager

  • Usual working days: Monday to Friday

Louisa Jaouadi - Information, Advice and Support Officer (Children and Young People's lead)

  • Usual working days: Monday to Friday

Charley Ripley - Information, Advice and Support Officer (Parent lead)

  • Usual working days: Monday to Friday

Louise Truman-Liebenberg – Helpline Information, Advice and Support Officer

  • Usual working days: Monday to Friday

Jennifer Roye - Business Support Officer

  • Usual working days: Monday and Friday (term time only)

How we can help

We can explain and advise on:

  • How your child’s or young person’s learning needs are identified in nurseries, schools, colleges or by the Local Authority (LA)
  • The support available for children and young people with SEND, within a nursery, school, or college
  • Education, Health, and Care Needs Assessments (EHC NA)
  • Education, Health, and Care (EHC) Plans
  • Annual Reviews of EHC plans
  • Deciding on a nursery, school or college for your child or young person
  • When you do not agree with a decision made about your child or young person and your options on how to resolve
  • Exclusions from a nursery, school, or college
  • Transport applications
  • Independent mediation and SEND Tribunal Appeals
  • Other services that might be able to help you

We are unable to:

  • Make decisions for you
  • Tell you what we think you should do
  • Attend meetings for you if you are not there

We can provide information, advice, and support through

  • Phone calls and emails
  • Our website
  • Information sheets or,
  • Face to face

We may be able to support you to:

  • Understand and look through letters, forms and documents about your child’s or young persons’ SEND
  • Participate in discussions and decision making about your child’s or young persons’ SEND
  • Get in touch with other services and organisations

WIASS working together information sheet - Find out what WIASS does, does not do, and how we can work together

Watch the video below to find out how Information, Advice and Support Services work.

Our leaflets

View our leaflets:

Our policies

View our policies:

Annual reports

View our annual reports:

Tell us how we are doing

Your feedback is important for us and we are always looking for ways to improve and develop our service. This is a great opportunity to be able to shape your local information, advice and support service.

Complete one of the surveys below to share your feedback:

If you would like to provide more detailed feedback or like to give your views over the phone, please call us on 020 8871 8065 or email Jennifer Roye.

Make a complaint

We hope you are satisfied with the service you receive, however, if you wish to make a complaint please contact the Service Manager on the below email or postal address: