The government has announced major changes to post‑16 education, starting from September 2027. These changes are meant to make the system clearer, more flexible, and easier for young people especially those with SEND to understand and navigate!
The Phone Ban Isn’t a SEND Ban: What Parents Need to Know About the New Government Guidance
Schools are being told they’ll be “backed” to enforce strict bans, Ofsted will check compliance, and from June onwards many families are receiving letters announcing zero‑tolerance policies.
For most families, this is an inconvenience. For SEND families, it’s a panic.
Because for many autistic, ADHD, PDA, or sensory‑sensitive children, a phone isn’t a social device it’s a regulation tool.
What happens if every specialist school consulted says they can’t meet your child’s needs?
When every specialist school consulted says they can’t meet your child’s needs, it can feel frightening and personal. In reality, this happens far more often than people realise, and it does not mean your child is “too complex” or that there is no suitable provision. In many cases, the child has been kept in an unsuitable mainstream environment for so long that their presentation now looks like “risk” rather than unmet need. And in many others, the school has only seen a substandard draft EHCP that does not reflect the child at all. Before looking at the paperwork, it helps to understand the child’s presentation for what it really is.
Friendships, Neurodiversity & School: What Our Community’s Data Finally Reveals
Friendships are often described as a “normal” part of childhood – something that just happens, something every child should have, something schools assume will fall into place. But for many neurodivergent (ND) children and young people, this simply isn’t the reality. Parents know it and children absolutely do feel it. Professionals suspect it but sadly nobody has ever asked the question openly, gathered the data, and documented the truth.
Bridget Phillipson’s “This is What Progress Looks Like” Attendance Stats: Let’s Look Deeper!
When the Education Secretary posted “this is what progress looks like” and then turned off comments, she highlighted only the most flattering parts of the new DfE attendance statistics. The full dataset tells a more complicated story especially for children with SEND, who sit at the heart of the government’s “inclusion for everyone” reforms.
Why Schools Refuse to Start the EHCP Process — And What Parents Can Do Next
When a school refuses to request an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA), it can feel personal, dismissive, and deeply frustrating. But in reality, refusals almost always fall into one of three categories and once you know which one you’re dealing with, you can take clear, strategic next steps.
Here are the three reasons a school typically gives for refusing to initiate the process:
BULLYING, TRAUMA & CAMHS GATEKEEPING WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW
We are seeing a sharp rise in bullying, school‑based trauma, and mental health crises in neurodivergent children as communicated in our group by SEND Parents – and a rise in CAMHS refusing referrals because children “don’t meet criteria”.
Here is what the data shows, what this means for ND children, and what you can do if CAMHS gatekeep.
Understanding OCD, ADHD & Autism in CYP.
For many families in our community, the journey toward understanding their child’s needs is anything but straightforward. CYP rarely present in neat diagnostic boxes, and when traits from OCD, ADHD, and Autism overlap, the picture becomes even more complex. This overlap can lead to misinterpretation, delayed identification, and support plans that don’t quite fit what the child actually needs.
Requesting Further Assessments From The LA during EHCPNA
When the LA Claims “We Don’t Have a Duty to Seek Advice”. Here’s the Law They Don’t Want You to Quote..
Will the Tribunal Choose the Cheaper School? Myth vs Reality And How Parents Can Protect Their Case
A common fear when heading to SEND Tribunal is the idea that the judge will simply choose the cheaper school. Many parents are told this by their Local Authority, caseworkers, or even schools but it is not how the law works. The SEND Tribunal does not start with cost. It starts with NEED. View provision v’s placement and how to evidence it in this blog – click here.
Below is a clear breakdown of how placement decisions are made, why the “cheaper school myth” persists, and what parents can do to strengthen their case.
