Practical guidance for families.

Congratulations! After what is probably been a long and exhausting journey, your child finally has their Education, Health and Care Plan. Take a moment to celebrate this milestone you have secured statutory protection for your childs needs. Getting the EHCP, however, is just the beginning. Now comes the crucial part...making sure it actually gets implemented properly. Think of the EHCP as a legal contract, its only as good as the delivery. Heres what you need to check with your childs school to make sure theyre doing what theyre supposed to do.

If you are stuck in SEND limbo watching your child struggle while the local authority drags its feet, you are not alone. And more importantly, you are not powerless. Let me introduce you to one of the most underused tools in a parent advocacy toolkit: the emergency annual review.

Spring term often arrives with far less hope than the word spring suggests. For many families, especially those supporting children with SEND, it can feel like the heaviest part of the school year, marked by dark mornings, long weeks, and resurfacing school struggles. This post explores why January can feel so overwhelming, and offers reassurance, perspective, and practical reminders to help you navigate the term with a little more clarity and compassion for your child and for yourself.

The move from primary to secondary school should be exciting. A fresh start, new opportunities, growing up. But if your child has an EHCP, secondary transfer becomes a legal battleground. And the council has home advantage. This is their moment. The time when they can push your child from specialist to mainstream, reduce provision, or delay decisions until youre too panicked to fight back. Let me show you what to expect and how to protect your childs rights.

If your Local Authority says we cant afford it or the system is changing… thats not a legal reason to refuse support. Current law is current law.

Whether you use the checklist or not, whether you ever speak to an advocate or not, we want you to know something: Youre doing an incredible job.

If a Local Authority refuses to assess your child because they dont have a diagnosis, this is likely unlawful. The SEND Code of Practice (9.14) is clear: you need evidence of need, not a diagnostic label.

Heres the truth: you dont have to do Christmas the way everyone else does it. If your child cant cope with the big family gathering, dont go. If they hate Christmas dinner, serve fish fingers. If wrapping paper causes meltdowns, dont wrap at all. Discover practical, honest advice for creating a Christmas that works for YOUR family – not someone elses idea of perfect.

Practical advice for parents preparing to attend their first SEND Tribunal hearing, including tips on gathering evidence and presenting your case.

A brief guide to understanding your legal rights throughout the Education, Health and Care Plan process for children with Special Educational Needs.