SENDirect lists local access health, education and social care services and was developed by nine disability charities including Scope.
Its launch follows families saying comparing services offered by different providers was confusing and over complicated.
Providers will, it is hoped, opt to list their services on the site, which people can search, buy and review. Every search is recorded to help build a picture of the service needed. SENDirect will pass this information on to service commissioners.
The site includes a list of day care services and those who can take children on an emergency childcare basis. It will be up to nurseries themselves to input their information. Listings are free until April 2015, after which various forms of membership will be available.
The launch comes a year after legislation which created a single education health and care plan for children with SEND and personal budget for carers so they can arrange and pay for essential support services.
Jolanta Lasota, chair of the SEND Consortium said: ‘It was clear to all charities that trying to work individually to solve this problem was counterproductive.
‘Parents don’t want to choose from what nine organisations have to offer – they want to choose from what the world has to offer- so we’re calling on all other organisations across England to join with us by listing their services on the site.’
Parent Sam Bergin-Goncalves said ‘My dream for my son is for him to have the opportunity to reach his potential, to be as independent as possible and to live a fulfilling life. To make this happen more choice needs to be available for families like mine.’
According to research carried out by the SEND Consortium, which comprises over 300 families, three quarters of families said it was difficult to find information about services in their area, with social care presenting the least choice. Around a third (32%) said they rarely or never found the services they needed.
Elizabeth Archer, Project Director for SENDirect, says: ‘We’ve worked with thousands of families, dozens of service providers and ten local authorities to develop SENDirect. We are asking parents and young people to encourage organisations they rate to list their services and make it easier for other families to find out about them.
‘We are confident that our new online service will help families, service providers and local authorities across the country work together in a much more effective way.’
The SEND Consortium consists of Ambitious about Autism, Contact a Family, Dyslexia Action, I CAN, MENCAP, the National Autistic Society and Scope.
The website is www.sendirect.org.uk