The role of CEAS - (Children's Education Advisory Service) - based in Upavon, is to support Service families and entitled civilians in obtaining appropriate educational facilities for their children, and to provide high quality information and impartial advice on all aspects of education world-wide, including advice upon special educational needs. CEAS maintains a register of Service children with special educational needs. This contains details of children who are either undergoing a statutory assessment, have a statement, have a note in lieu, have a sensory or physical impairment, are in a UK special school, or have needs which cannot be met overseas.
In order to ensure that appropriate provision is made for children with special educational needs, parents are strongly encouraged to register with CEAS. SCE is then in a position to facilitate school transfers both with UK Local Authorities and with the Service personnel management agencies, and seek to ensure that appropriate support and provision will be available.
CEAS liaises closely with Service Children's Education on behalf of registered children whose families are posted overseas. When a family with a child with special needs is offered a posting overseas, all reports regarding the child's needs are collated by CEAS and forwarded to HQ SCE in order that a decision can be made whether the child’s special needs as described can be met in a SCE school. This decision is notified to the parents and the posting branch by HQ SCE and the family is supported either in pursuing their posting or in considering the alternatives if the situation is such that their child’s special needs cannot be met in a SCE school.
When a family wishes to pursue a posting overseas, the special needs of their child should be declared when the posting is offered if the child is not already registered with CEAS. In instances where the need has not been declared, or advice not to pursue the posting has been ignored, it may be necessary to repatriate the family, or to reach agreement with the relevant military unit for the Service family to be posted to an area where it is known that appropriate provision exists. It is therefore vital that parents declare any special educational needs prior to posting, and act upon the educational advice they receive.
In cases where it is necessary to advise against an overseas posting on the basis that the child's special needs cannot be met locally, SCE will consult with the relevant military, health and welfare agencies before coming to that conclusion.
Where, following this consultation, it is decided that a child cannot be admitted to an SCE school, parents have the right to request an internal review of the decision.
UK education law does not permit parents in overseas schools to bring a case to a Special Educational Needs Tribunal.