Seeking legal advice

In some situations, it can be a long process to reach your educational goals for your child and unfortunately schools and Local Authorities do not always act within the law. The three key pieces of legislation to be aware of are:

- The Education Act 1996

- The Equality Act 2010

- The Children’s and Families Act 2014

If you are concerned about how your case is being handled, there are some amazing organisations who offer free advice and may be able to help:

- SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service)
- IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Educational Advice)

There are a number of other organisations who provide services to help aid your case, and will often offer a 30 minute free consultation before you take up any paid for services, as well as providing useful webinars and support groups:
- Sunshine Support

- SOS!SEN

- Send Family Instincts

In some circumstances, families will be eligible for legal aid. Here is a link to check: https://www.gov.uk/check-legal-aid

It is not always necessary to seek legal advice and many cases can be successfully resolved between the parents and Local Authority. However, if you have the means and feel that it would be beneficial to instruct a solicitor, I have a list of recommended professionals I would be happy to share with you.