When a case goes to tribunal, one of the most confusing and anxiety provoking parts for parents is the Local Authority’s consultation process with schools. It often feels opaque, rushed, or strategically timed, and families are left wondering what is happening behind the scenes. In reality, the consultation process is one of the most important pieces of evidence the tribunal will look at, because it shows whether the LA has genuinely explored suitable placements or simply gone through the motions.
ABSENCE: FACTS, FIGURES AND OUR TAKE ON THE WHY?
Absence is rising again and the government’s own data makes one thing painfully clear: children with SEND are still being failed. Not because families don’t value education, not because parents aren’t “prioritising attendance”, but because the system designed to support their children simply isn’t functioning and hasn’t for a long time!
Social Stories: The Simple Tool That Makes Transitions Calmer for Neurodivergent Children
Social stories are one of the most widely used tools in SEND practice, yet most parents only encounter them when a transition is already going wrong.
At their core, social stories are short, personalised visual narratives that explain a situation in calm, concrete language. They give a child a preview of what will happen, who will be there, what the expectations are, and what they can do if they feel unsure.
EOTAS PROPOSALS & PARENT CONSULTATION SUPPORT
Right now, EOTAS is a direct Local Authority responsibility written into Section F of the EHCP. Under the new model, a school becomes the accountable body even if the child cannot attend that school.
The DfE suggests this would “generally be a specialist setting,” not the school where the child previously experienced trauma or placement breakdown.
Inclusion Guidance vs. Inclusion Law: What Parents and Professionals Need to Know
The Department for Education has released new inclusion guidance, and understandably it has created a lot of discussion. Whenever something new appears, families worry about what it means for their children, and professionals want to understand how it fits with the duties they already work under.
The most important point to hold onto is this: guidance is not law. The legal protections for disabled children have not changed.
This blog brings together both a parent’s point of view and a professional’s point of view, because inclusion only works when both sides understand the landscape.
For Reference linked guidance reviewed:
NEW DfE ATTENDANCE COMMUNICATION GUIDANCE – WHAT IT MEANS FOR PARENTS
The Department for Education has released a major update to how schools must communicate with parents about attendance. This new guidance replaces the older 2024 version and introduces a completely new, research‑based approach one that focuses on understanding, belonging, and support, not blame.
When the SENDIST Tribunal Gets It Wrong!
Most parents don’t realise this until they’re standing in the rubble of a Tribunal decision that simply doesn’t reflect their child: sometimes the First‑tier Tribunal gets it wrong. Not because parents didn’t present the evidence or because the child doesn’t have the needs. But because the judge has made a procedural error, ignored evidence, or produced a decision that doesn’t meet the legal test for Sections B and F.
Can The LA Reject S19 for Post 16?
There’s a lot of confusion about Section 19 once a young person turns 16 especially when they have EBSA, no exams, no attendance, or they’re stuck in the EHCP assessment process.
So here’s a clear breakdown for everyone in this situation.
Post‑Tribunal: What Happens When Local Authorities Don’t Deliver on SENDIST Orders?
Winning at the SEND Tribunal is often described as a “huge relief” for families it’s an acknowledgment that their child’s needs were not being met and a legally binding order requiring the Local Authority (LA) to put things right.
But what happens when the Tribunal is over, the decision has been issued… and the LA still doesn’t deliver?
Exclusion Statutory Guidance DofE Enforceable from July 26 – Update
The Department for Education has released a new version of the statutory exclusion guidance, coming into force on 26 July 2026. This update matters for every parent of a child with SEND, because it changes what schools must consider before suspending or permanently excluding a pupil.
You will also be pleased to hear that it also strengthens the expectations around reasonable adjustments, safeguarding, and early intervention.
