The Assistant Education Officers and their teams carry out the following duties on behalf of the Education Service:

• implementation of the 1996 Education Act, with particular reference to the assessment and statementing of children with special educational needs, in accordance with the statutory time limits;
  
  
• consideration of requests for Stage 4 assessments from parents and schools;
  
  
• formally request advice from parents and professionals and monitor responses in order to progress the statementing procedure;
  
  
• issuing of proposed and final statements, in consultation with parents;
  
  
• involvement in preparing the Authority’s response relating to appeals to the Special Needs Tribunal;
  
  
• making arrangements for any provision identified as required in a statement, including support for mainstream schools and special school placement;
  
  
• consideration of changes in need or provision recommended in annual reviews and appropriate action taken.

In all of this SENAS serves as a key point of contact for parents and schools. Staff work closely with them, as well as with the range of professionals involved in Support Services, Health Authorities and Social Services Department.