Advocacy for parents/carers

Parents are entitled to request an EHCNA under section 26(1) of the Children and Families Act 2014. This staged package provides parents with the support and guidance required to make their request with robust supporting evidence in order to ensure the legal tests are met. The process has different stages during the 20 weeks is meant to last if an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is to be secured. Parents will be guided and supported throughout to ensure they are satisfied with the resulting document.

An EHCP is reviewed at least once a year. The review process is time bounded and considers possible changes to the contents of the Plan. The AR provides an opportunity for parents to suggest the amendments they wish to see in the child’s EHCP and eventually enables them to trigger their right to appeal the Plan if they are not satisfied with the outcome. This package provides advice and support to parents so that the process becomes the evidence based exercise required to make changes to the Plan.

Parents often find they are unable to address their concerns with their local authority and/or the Clinical Commissioning Group. There are different ways to re-dress matters, however there are also differences between the responses local authorities are bound to provide. These packages offer advocacy prior, during and after these meetings and aim to address unresolved issues with tangible time-framed solutions to avoid the tribunal route.

There are times when all available routes to re-dress prove unsuccessful and parents are left with the only option to appeal to the First-Tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) – SENDIST. This staged package provides guidance, support and advocacy during tribunal proceedings and, ultimately, representation at an oral hearing if settlement is not possible in compliance with the tribunal timetable.

Register