The decision is not the end of the conversation.
If you disagree with an EHCP decision, I can help you understand the issue, organise the evidence and work out what support would be useful.
From registering an appeal to working through the documents or preparing for a hearing, you can choose help with one task or support through more of the process.
When you enquire, include the date on the decision letter and any deadline you have been given.
“I disagree with the decision. What can I do next?”
We can look at the decision you have received, what you want changed and the evidence that relates to it.
Refusal to assess
Help organising information about needs, support already tried and why you are seeking an EHC needs assessment.
Refusal to issue a plan
Help reviewing the assessment advice and explaining why you disagree with the decision not to issue an EHCP.
Needs and provision
Help identifying what is missing or unclear in the plan and connecting proposed changes with the evidence.
The school or setting named
Help bringing together evidence about your child’s needs, the proposed placement and your preferred option.
What if the decision is about reassessment, changes to a plan or ending an EHCP?
Other appealable decisions can include refusal to reassess, refusal to amend the education sections of a plan and a decision to cease maintaining a plan. Share the decision letter so we can consider the help you need.
Appeal time limits and mediation requirements matter. Check the appeal information in your letter and the official guidance. If time is tight, say so in your enquiry. Sending an enquiry to SENDLou does not lodge an appeal or extend a deadline.
“Can you help me complete the appeal form?”
I can prepare the appropriate SEND35 or SEND35a form, check the details and collate the required supporting paperwork with you.
- Organise the decision and the issues you want to raise.
- Prepare the form and check the information with you.
- Bring together the documents required for submission.
You can also register an appeal yourself and ask for help with a later stage. Further casework and hearing support are separate from the £240 registration service.
Ask about appeal registration →
“I know this is wrong, but how do I show it?”
The aim is to explain the issue clearly and show how the evidence supports the outcome you are asking for.
- Review reports alongside your child’s and family’s experiences.
- Identify gaps, relevant records and information to request.
- Prepare written responses or submissions within the work agreed.
- Consider the local authority’s response and which issues remain unresolved.
“What need does this identify, and what provision does it say is required?”
Evidence reviews and written work are charged at £66 per hour, with the scope and expected cost agreed first.
“The working document keeps changing. Can someone help?”
A working document records proposed and agreed changes to an EHCP during an appeal. It helps show what has been agreed and what remains in dispute.
Check the wording
Compare proposed changes with the reports and identify missing or unclear needs and provision.
Show the evidence
Connect requested wording with the relevant advice, so the reasons for each change are clear.
Track what remains
Help organise versions, responses and outstanding issues as discussions progress.
You can ask for help with one version or further agreed rounds of work. Each piece is scoped and priced before I begin.
“Can you help me prepare for the hearing?”
We can focus on the issues still in dispute, the evidence that matters and what you want the Tribunal to understand about your child.
Prepare the key points
Help organise your priorities, questions and the evidence relevant to the outstanding issues.
Agree my role
Choose preparation only or discuss attendance with you, subject to availability and the support agreed.
Stay focused on your child
Keep your child’s needs, experiences and the changes sought central to the discussion.
We can work towards resolving disputed issues as the appeal progresses. Some cases settle before a hearing; others need the Tribunal to decide. I cannot promise which will apply to your case.
Choose the help that is useful to you.
You can book one task or discuss support through more of the appeal. We agree the scope and expected costs before work begins.
Appeal registration
SEND35 or SEND35a form preparation and the required paperwork. Further support is separate.
Preparation and casework
Evidence reviews, working documents, written responses and hearing preparation, as agreed.
Consultation
A dedicated conversation to discuss your situation, options and practical next steps.
Support throughout your appeal
Know you have someone to turn to as your appeal progresses. This fee reserves my availability to support your case and holds the agreed hearing date.
If we reach agreement before the hearing, the fee covers the availability set aside for your appeal, subject to your agreed cancellation terms.
If the hearing goes ahead, your £150 covers half a day of attendance. For a full day, a further £150 is payable.
Preparation and casework are charged separately at £66 per hour. We agree each piece of work and its expected cost before I begin, so you stay in control of the support you choose.
A brief initial enquiry is free. Reservation arrangements, hearing attendance and any relevant travel costs are confirmed in your written agreement.
A little more clarity.
Do I have to use an advocate to appeal?
No. You can bring your own appeal. You can ask me for help with one task or one issue without handing over the whole process.
Do I have to attend mediation first?
In most cases you need to contact a mediation adviser before appealing, but you do not have to take part in mediation itself. Appeals only about the school or institution in Section I are treated differently. Check your decision letter and the official guidance for your situation.
What if I do not have all the evidence yet?
Check the deadline first. We can consider what you already have, what is missing and what further information might be useful. Do not wait for every report before checking the appeal requirements.
Can you help if I have already registered the appeal?
Yes. We can discuss the stage you have reached and whether help with evidence, a working document, written responses or hearing preparation would be useful.
Does the £150 include ongoing casework?
It reserves availability and covers half a day of attendance if the hearing goes ahead. Preparation and casework are separate, charged at £66 per hour with the work and expected cost agreed first.
Can you guarantee the outcome?
No. I can help you present the issues and evidence clearly and discuss gaps or difficulties honestly. The Tribunal decides any issues that remain for it to determine.
Official information: appealing an EHC plan decision, mediation advice and SEND Tribunal forms.
Let’s make the next step manageable.
Tell me the decision you have received, its date and what worries you most.
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