We work collaboratively and flexibly, making sure that what we do is person-led and meets the needs of the people we serve. We don’t offer packages and charge only by the hour – so you only pay for what you need – even if that’s just a conversation to set you on the right track. We often have families who work with us like this in the long term – picking cases back up as and when additional support is required.
Our hourly rate is £60/hour for all work we complete (including Tribunal representation), and we have a sliding scale that enables us to reduce this rate to support families in financial difficulty. Our primary aim is to support the families who need us in the best way we can – and we don’t want financial restrictions to get in the way of that.
The SEND system can be complex, rigid and unclear; creating barriers between your young person and their education rather than reducing them. We can provide support with:
– understanding your young person’s needs and the types of provision that might work for them
– communicating with your young person’s setting about appropriate accommodations
– responding to settings raising concerns about behaviour or attendance
– knowing your young person’s rights in relation to education, assessments and provision
– applying for a needs assessment for an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
– completing an EHCP check when a draft is issued
– navigating the Annual Review process
– reviewing draft reports
– sourcing neuroaffirming and trauma responsive specialists, professionals and provision
EOTAS or EOTISC stands for education other than at school, or other than in a school or college. Which acronym is used will depend on your local authority area; but they both describe a bespoke package of provision which is provided to a young person when it is not appropriate for their provision to be delivered in a setting. We are specialists in this area, with lived experience of obtaining and maintaining EOTISC for our own young people, as well as the expertise we have gained through professional training and experience working with other families in this area.
Working together, we can tackle the specific barriers often put in the way of young people for whom attending a setting has been traumatising or for those whose needs are so complex that they need an alternative route. This might involve:
– working with settings, professionals and local authorities to evidence that the legal test for EOTAS/EOTISC has been met
– sourcing EOTAS/EOTISC experienced specialists, professionals and provision
– putting together the package of provision needed
– supporting the personal budget process
There are a number of crucial decision making points within the EHCP process, ranging from whether or not to carry out an assessment, all the way through to whether and how to amend your young person’s plan after an annual review.
At each of these points, you have a legal right to request that your local authority engage in mediation to resolve difficulties that arise, and, beyond that, to appeal their decision at the SEND Tribunal. We offer support with navigating these processes, including:
– helping you decide whether these routes are right for you and registering for them if they are
– helping you understand the overall processes and breaking them down into manageable chunks
– liaison with your professionals, witnesses, SENDIST and the local authority
– the working document
– case reviews and evidence deadlines
– understanding the law around SEND in the UK
– representation at mediation and Tribunal hearings themselves
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