A BROMSGROVE-based fostering agency is to help disabled young people and their families.

Core Assets Children's Services, based at Saxon Business Park, has been commissioned by the Council for Disabled Children to deliver independent support services to young people and their families in Worcestershire.

The group will be offering free impartial information and support on Special Education Needs and Disabilities reforms for a number of local authorities, including Worcestershire County Council.

The Children and Families Act 2014 introduced new measures to make significant improvements to the support available for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

The fostering agency's independent supporters have been appointed to provide parents, foster carers and children in the county with information, help and support through the new EHC assessment and planning processes.

Its independent supporters can offer one-to-one and group support to help explain time scales and assist with paper work.

There is also a dedicated, independent telephone support service and website providing all the information families need to move through the new reforms.

Independent support is a free service available to all parents, carers and young people at any stage of the EHC assessment and planning process.

Core Assets Children’s Services provides free independent support to hundreds of families across the UK.

Andrew Freeman, independent support service manager at Core Assets Children’s Services, said: “We are thrilled to be working in partnership with Worcestershire County Council and helping children and their families in the area navigate though the new process.

"Following the government’s changes to the system, we have been appointed to offer free support on Special Education Needs and Disabilities for 27 local authorities in total across England."

For more on the support services Core Asset provides visit coreassets.com, email ISReferrals@coreassets.com, or call 0800 028 8455.