Meet the team
As parents and carers we are preparing our children and young people for adulthood from the moment they are born, although we often do not think in those terms.
Meet the York SENDIASS team who will help you on that journey and can continue to support your young person into adulthood.
Melanie Leighton, Manager
About Me
Hello, my name is Melanie Leighton and I am the manager of York SENDIASS. Our website offers impartial information, for 0 to 25 year-olds with special educational needs and disabilities. We welcome parent carers, young people and professionals to refer into our service. Although we are a small team, we want to give the best service we are able so please help us by using our website and by coming along to drop in sessions that will be advertised through our York SEND Information Advice Support Service Facebook group. We welcome you sharing your views and ideas on how to make this an even better service.
How will I support others?
Others often say l am patient and kind. I will take time to listen as l want to understand. I will always remain impartial which means l will not take sides. This is our SENDIASS duty so l will advise on options and ways to try to resolve any difficulties with the focus being on SEND law. We are expected to help empower others to make their own decisions for their child or for the young person.
What I need from you?
I may need to stop you during our talk to ask questions to make sure l understand. If this is difficult for you, please let me know as l do not want to interrupt your conversation. I like people to tell me if I have misunderstood, so l can try to understand better. l will tell you if I do not understand or need something repeating, so you might need to be patient.
Sarah Cope, Case Officer
About Me
Hello, my name is Sarah Cope. I am a Case Officer within the York SENDIASS Team. It is my job to offer impartial advice to support children and young people 0 to 25 years old with Special Educational Needs and/ or Disabilities, their parents, carers and the professionals who may be working with them. I also run our Facebook page York SEND Information, Advice and Support Service which I hope you will follow for regular updates and interact with to help us grow our service offer.
How will I support others?
I am curious, friendly and respectful of the ways we are all different. I try to collaborate with parents, carers, young people and professionals to find out what types of support works for you. We can offer confidential advice by email, telephone, virtual and/ or face to face meetings so that you have the information you need to take part in important decision making relating to Special Educational Needs and/ or Disabilities (SEND).
What I need from you?
I might summarise information to check my understanding with you and find it helpful for you to tell me if I have not got something quite right. It is important to me that we have a shared understanding of what is going on and what might help. Writing things down helps me to think about and remember key information and solve trickier situations so I might need some time to do this before or after a call or meeting.
Elizabeth MacDonald, Case Officer
About Me
Hello, my name is Elizabeth MacDonald, I am a Case Officer. It is my job to provide impartial and confidential advice, information and support to children and young people from birth to 25 years; and their parent carers on matters relating to special educational needs or disability.
The people I support say that I’m friendly, kind and approachable.
How will I support you?
While supporting you I find it helpful to:
- take time to listen to your worries and concerns;
- speak with other professionals who may be working with you;
- write down any important points as I like to have a good understanding of your situation and / or the matters which concern you;
- ask questions and / or summarise information to check my understanding.
Additionally, while supporting I will not:
- Make decisions for you;
- Tell you what to do;
- Talk to someone if you don’t want me to.
What I need from you?
- to have you correct me if I have misunderstood or not got something quite right.
- to have time to think about our conversation and reflect on my written notes, and you may need to be patient.