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Appealing to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SEND)

Once you have sent your appeal form to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal, a timetable for your appeal will be issued. These are called ‘Case Management Directions’. The following directions are those typically made by the Tribunal: Local authority (LA) response This is the date by which the local authority should provide its initial response, with […]

The Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal – Who are they?

In this first of three articles about the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal, we look at what the Tribunal is, what it can deal with and relevant time limits. The Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SEND or SENDIST) consider appeals against decisions taken by a local authority about how it intends to support a […]

What is an Education, Health and Care Plan and how does my child get one?

The Children and Families Act 2014 came into force in September 2014. It completely changed how children with special educational needs (SEN) are now supported. Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) are available for children with the most challenging special educational needs. They replace the Statement of Special Educational Needs or Statement of SEN. An Education, Health and Care Plan is […]

Conductive Education – what’s it all about?

I was fortunate to be shown around a very special school last week, Ingfield Manor School, and its school for parents, The Dame Vera Lynn Trust School for Parents, in Billingshurst, West Sussex. Ingfield Manor is a non-maintained special school run by the charity SCOPE for children and young people with neurological motor impairment and […]

My Plan vs Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

We wrote recently about Devon County Council making use of a “My Plan” as a form of support for children with special educational needs (SEN).  In summary, we expressed a view that the “My Plan” could be a useful tool to support children and young people who are ineligible for an Education, Health and Care Plan(EHCP). However, what concerned […]

When will the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) come to an end?

The Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) can only come to an end when either or both of the following apply: It is no longer necessary. The local authority is no longer responsible for your child or young person (CYP). When is the plan no longer necessary?  The EHCP may become unnecessary when your CYP no longer requires the […]

What you should know before starting SEN mediation

Parents are increasingly concerned about the new system of mediation that has been introduced by the Children and Families Act 2014. The Children and Families Act 2014 requires that before a parent, or young person, appeals to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal they must at least consider mediation and speak with their local mediation service. This will […]

Calling an early review of an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

The purpose of the annual review process is to consider the special educational needs (SEN) support that has been in place for the last 12 months and to determine whether any adjustments to an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) are necessary. Paragraphs 9.166 – 9.185 of the SEND Code of Practice 2015 cover the function of the […]

Can an expert be required to attend the SEND Tribunal to give evidence?

The answer in short is, yes, an expert, or anyone else who has knowledge of the issues, can be required to attend the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Tribunal to give evidence. To request the attendance of an expert, either the parent or local authority (LA) can ask the Tribunal to issue a witness summons to […]