Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and SEN support

Practical support for families and education providers to understand ADHD-related needs, identify appropriate support and work towards positive outcomes.

We help families understand how ADHD can affect education and secure appropriate support and provision.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a recognised special educational need that can affect how a child accesses education and manages the demands of school life. Where a child’s needs are significant, additional legal protections and structured support may be required.

Boyes Turner’s specialist SEN solicitors support families with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), including assessments, reviews and appeals. This page explains ADHD in an educational context, how it can affect children, when an EHCP may be needed, and how our SEN solicitors can help you secure appropriate support.

Trusted and nationally recognised special educational needs specialists with decades of experience.
Clear, practical support at every stage, helping families navigate complex SEN processes.

Extensive experience across all SEN appeals, including EHCPs, school placements, and SEND Tribunal proceedings.
Transparent and flexible fee structures, including capped fee options where appropriate.

What is ADHD?

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects attention, activity levels and impulse control. It is commonly identified in childhood and can present differently in each child. Some children experience difficulties primarily with concentration, while others may show hyperactive or impulsive behaviours, or a combination of these.

ADHD is not related to a child’s intelligence, but it can significantly affect how they learn, process information and respond to structured environments such as school.

Why might a child with ADHD need an EHCP?

A child with ADHD may need an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) where their educational needs cannot be met through the support normally available within a school. This may be the case where ADHD significantly affects learning, behaviour or emotional regulation, despite interventions already in place.

An EHCP provides a legal framework to identify a child’s needs and specify the provision required to support them effectively.

EHCP support and benefits for children with ADHD

An EHCP can set out legally enforceable support, which may include:

Specialist teaching strategies and interventions
Additional adult support in the classroom
Adjustments to the learning environment
Support for emotional and behavioural regulation
Access to specialist provision or placements

The support must be tailored to the child’s individual needs and clearly specified within the plan.

ADHD FAQs

How does ADHD affect a child’s behaviour?

In an educational setting, ADHD may affect a child’s ability to:

Sustain attention and follow instructions
Regulate behaviour and emotions
Manage transitions and routines
Remain seated or focused during lessons
Organise tasks and complete work independently

Without appropriate support, these difficulties can lead to frustration, reduced confidence and challenges with peer relationships.

What other needs can occur alongside ADHD?

Children with ADHD may also experience other special educational needs, such as speech and language difficulties, anxiety, sensory processing issues or social communication challenges. Where needs overlap, the impact on a child’s education can be more complex and may require coordinated support across education, health and care services.

Recognising the full range of a child’s needs is often essential when considering whether an EHCP is required.

What are common local authority issues for children with ADHD?

Families seeking support for children with ADHD may encounter difficulties such as:

Refusals to carry out an EHC needs assessment
Delays in the assessment or decision-making process
EHCPs that do not fully reflect a child’s needs
Vague or non-specific provision that is difficult to enforce

Understanding your rights and the local authority’s legal duties is often key to addressing these issues. SEN law is complex, and specialist legal advice can help guide you through the process, reduce pressure on families, and support you through reviews and appeals.

What happens if my child with ADHD doesn’t have an EHCP?

Without an EHCP, support for a child with ADHD may be limited or inconsistent and dependent on a school’s available resources. This can result in unmet needs, increased behavioural difficulties and a negative impact on educational progress and wellbeing.

Where a child requires specialist or sustained support, the absence of an EHCP can make it harder to secure appropriate provision or placements.

How do you apply for an EHCP for a child with ADHD?

Parents and carers have the right to request an Education, Health and Care needs assessment from their local authority. The local authority must consider whether the child’s needs justify an assessment and, if so, whether an EHCP should be issued.

Applications typically require clear evidence of how ADHD affects the child’s education. Our SEN solicitors regularly advise families on preparing requests and responding to local authority decisions.

What can I do if I’m unhappy with my child’s EHCP or the local authority’s decision?

Unfortunately, it is common for parents to be unhappy with a child’s EHCP. You may be able to challenge decisions such as:

A refusal to assess or issue an EHCP
The description of your child’s needs
The support specified in the EHCP
The educational placement named in the plan

Challenges are usually made to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability). Legal advice can help ensure appeals are properly prepared and focused on securing appropriate provision.

How can solicitors help families and children with ADHD?

Specialist SEN solicitors can assist families by:

Advising on eligibility for an EHCP
Supporting assessment requests and evidence gathering
Challenging unlawful or unreasonable decisions
Drafting and negotiating EHCP content
Representing families in Tribunal appeals

Our team has extensive experience guiding families through the legal framework surrounding special educational needs.

Why use our special educational needs solicitors?

Specialist experience in SEN law: Our solicitors have extensive experience advising families on the full range of special educational needs legal processes. Our expertise ensures you receive clear, accurate advice grounded in a detailed understanding of the law and how local authorities apply it in practice.

Focused, practical solutions: We take the time to understand your child’s individual needs and circumstances. Our advice is tailored to help you secure the right support, whether that means strengthening an EHCP, challenging inadequate provision, or appealing a local authority decision.

Supportive and collaborative approach: The SEN process can be overwhelming. We work closely with families, schools, professionals and other advisers to ensure all evidence and communication is aligned and coherent. This collaborative approach helps streamline the process and strengthens your case.

A leading full-service law firm: Boyes Turner is recognised by Chambers UK and The Legal 500 as a leading law firm. As a full-service firm, our specialist teams can support you with related legal needs where required, including Court of Protection, community care, medical negligence and private wealth, ensuring a cohesive and coordinated approach to your care.

Contact us

If you would like advice about a related matter, please complete the form and one of our SEN specialists will be in touch as soon as possible.

Please note we do not offer legal aid. Read about our fees.

Or give us a call:

0118 467 6547

Special educational needs insights

Our special educational needs solicitors

Our SEN case studies

What our clients say

Tribunal for placement

Laxmi helped with my son tribunal case in regard to section I of his EHCP. Our tribunal got brought forward by 6 months early, not giving us much time to get everything in place. Laxmi was great and said we can do it even with just little time left to get prepared and ready for the Tuesday. As a parent, I didn’t know what we needed to send or do, Laxmi took the time to explain everything to us and what we needed to do to prepare for the tribunal. Laxmi went above and beyond to help us and successfully won getting the school we needed for are son to start in September 2024. I would highly recommend Laxmi to take on the local authority in regard to any EHCP appeals. Thank you for everything you’ve done for us.

Natalie

What our clients say

We were immediately impressed

We were immediately impressed with James and our initial judgment proved correct as we went on to negotiate with Essex a care package for our daughter. Throughout the process, James supported us and was always on hand to give us excellent advice, source and guide an ISW in writing a report for us, and assist with crafting skilfully worded emails to the Authority. More importantly for us, James was always kind and understanding, and brought a wonderful sense of humour to our meetings. We feel most fortunate to have found him and would not hesitate to recommend him

Kitty Carrick

What our clients say

SEN Tribunal

Laxmi’s exceptional understanding in SEN law combined with her professional, honest and empathic approach gave us the assurance that we had a solicitor who was and would continually do her best on our behalf. We would highly recommend any one seeking a SEN solicitor to use Laxmi.

David Bernstein

What our clients say

Support with the EHCP appeal

We would like to thank the Boyes Turner team, especially Janata Ali, for the exceptional support throughout the process. Just over a year ago we were lost and scared for our child’s future. It is a completely different reality today. Our child is much happier in the new school, with all the support and the quality of teaching, mentoring that he is receiving. It was the right battle to fight. It would not have been possible without Janata’s help, guidance, experience and commitment to our case. We are endlessly grateful, as this means that our child can have a better quality of life now and better prospects in the future.

Boyes Turner Client

What our clients say

SEN support for EHCP

Janata Ali is an expert in n her field which resulted in us winning our case against the local authority to issue an EHCP for our son. Our son will hopefully now thrive and we will be forever grateful for her help and support with our case.

Boyes Turner Client

What our clients say

I would most definitely recommend

James, Laxmi and Daisy, worked so Patrick’s case, due to his very complex profile we had to go through three tribunals. They all worked so hard to secure our son’s placement. I would most definitely recommend James and Laxmi to anyone wishing to pursue the right provision for their young person.

Cath and Phil

What our clients say

I’m thankful

I’m thankful that we found James, without him my son would have been abandoned by his Local Authority. Moving on from college is a stressful process for all the family, & Local Authority knows this & uses this to try & push parents to the limit, by ignoring their responsibility hoping that you will give up . In came James, took pressure off me & onto them . Highly recommend. We won , my son now can start his transition to his next chapter. Thank you.

Rebecca Wallace

What our clients say

James was a pleasure to deal with

We contacted Boyes Turner earlier this year after we ran into a dispute with our local authority. This was about a social care matter and learning disability. The case was handled with professionalism and tact. James was a pleasure to deal with. Clear communication, humour and detailed knowledge of the law in this area.

Andrew

What our clients say

James was knowledgeable but at the same time very approachable

The help and support we received from James for our son’s EHC plan has been absolutely invaluable. With his help, we were able to secure an outcome that suits our child. James was knowledgeable but at the same time very approachable and made a very stressful process much more manageable.

Boyes Turner Client

What our clients say

Guiding us through EHCP and transition

James Pantling-Skeet helped us prepare my daughter’s EHCP to gain a good placement for the future. He was patient, extremely knowledgeable, had brilliant contacts, helped withe emotional upheaval and organised meetings with all parties to keep everything on track. We had the best outcome we could have had due to his professionalism. He was very caring too. He and his team worked tirelessly and answered our queries promptly. I would highly recommend their service.

Boyes Turner Client

Recognised leading UK law firm

Boyes Turner is consistently ranked as a leading law firm by top legal directories Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and SEN support

We help families understand how ADHD can affect education and secure appropriate support and provision.

What is ADHD?

Why might a child with ADHD need an EHCP?

EHCP support and benefits for children with ADHD

ADHD FAQs

Why use our special educational needs solicitors?

Contact us

0118 467 6547

Special educational needs insights

Our special educational needs solicitors

Laxmi Patel

James Pantling-Skeet

Rachael Allison

Emma Trevett

Steven Baylis

Janata Ali

Lacie Smith

Rachel Baxter

Daisy Fox-Clarkin

Libby Buxton

Amber Puri

Our SEN case studies

What our clients say

Tribunal for placement

What our clients say

We were immediately impressed

What our clients say

SEN Tribunal

What our clients say

Support with the EHCP appeal

What our clients say

SEN support for EHCP

What our clients say

I would most definitely recommend

What our clients say

I’m thankful

What our clients say

James was a pleasure to deal with

What our clients say

James was knowledgeable but at the same time very approachable

What our clients say

Guiding us through EHCP and transition

Recognised leading UK law firm

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