When the Local Authority issues a draft Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), many parents breathe a sigh of relief. Finally, something is on paper. Often, the school’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) will offer to “look it over” and even make amendments for you. It sounds supportive, even generous. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: letting...
Yesterday’s Budget announcement landed with a big headline: from 2028–29, the government says it will take on the full cost of SEND centrally. Gasp.... ...on paper, that sounds like a relief. For years, families like mine and the families I fight for each day have been caught in the middle of funding battles between schools and...
Navigating the world of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) can feel overwhelming. Between statutory duties, school processes, and the emotional toll of advocating for your child, parents often find themselves searching for clarity and structure. That’s why we’re excited to introduce two powerful resources designed to empower families: The SEND Bible and The SEN Journey...
When you're advocating for your SEND child, every email, every form, every reply they’re not just admin. They’re evidence. They’re protection. They’re power. This is YOUR power! In a system where delays, omissions, and miscommunications can derail support for months (or years), keeping a clear communication trail is not optional. It’s essential.
So, your child’s absence has just been referred to the Education Welfare Officer (EWO). The school has marked those absences as unauthorised. You’re staring down the barrel of potential fines, threats of prosecution, and a system that seems to have forgotten its own statutory duties. We hear you! Let’s be clear: this isn’t just about missed...
Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) describes when a child or young person struggles to attend school because of anxiety, sensory overwhelm, trauma, unmet neurodivergent needs, or a combination of these factors. Early identification, a strengths‑based graduated response (Assess, Plan, Do, Review — APDR) initiated by schools together with a carefully staged reintegration plan are central to...
You should never be asked to design, price, or fully deliver Education Other Than At School (EOTAS) as a substitute for the local authority’s legal duties. That being said it would seem more and more LA's are doing this to potentially deliver the bare minimum! This post explains the law parents can rely on, the clear...
A judicial review is a court process where the High Court examines whether a public body acted lawfully, fairly and reasonably when making a decision affecting a child or family. The court reviews the decision-making process rather than substituting its own view about what the right outcome should have been.
So you’re standing at the start of the SENDIST track anxious, exhausted, furious, and determined all at once. Good. That mix is exactly what gets results. Tribunals are messy, bureaucratic, and designed to make you feel like you’re arguing with a spreadsheet or the LA can lead you to believe you are actually going crazy! I...
Parents who ask for clarity, challenge unlawful decisions, or escalate concerns through proper channels are not being vexatious. They are advocating. And when schools or local authorities use this label to silence or side line families, it’s not just unfair it’s unlawful.
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