Fiducia TogetherLocal Offer
The council's published list of what is available locally for children with SEND. Every council must have one.
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.
What it is
The Local Offer is the information a local authority must publish about the provision it expects to be available in its area for children and young people with SEND, from birth to 25.
It covers education, health, social care, leisure, transport and preparing for adulthood.
Where it applies
Every local authority in England, and it covers services provided both inside and outside the area.
How it works
It must be published online, kept up to date, and developed with children, young people and parents — councils must publish comments on the Local Offer and what they intend to do about them.
Quality varies enormously. Some are genuinely useful directories; some are a page of broken links.
What you can ask for
Use it as a starting list rather than a menu: it describes what is expected to be available, not what your child is entitled to.
If something on it does not actually exist, say so through the comments mechanism — councils have a duty to publish comments and respond.
Ask your SENDIASS whether the local reality matches. They will know.
Where to get help
Search your council's name plus "Local Offer". Contact and IPSEA both help with what to do when the offer and the reality diverge.
Where to read more
Last reviewed 2026-08-28 by Fiducia Together · Next review due 2027-08-28
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.