The Communication Black Hole: Ghosted by the Local Authority Imagine this: you’ve gone through the rigorous, emotionally draining process of gathering every shred of paperwork, assessments, and reports required for your child’s EHCP review. You send it all off, expecting some form of response. Days turn into weeks, and weeks turn into months. Silence. You email, call,

Being a parent to a child with special educational needs is a journey filled with endless love, resilience, and advocacy, but it also comes with daily challenges and frustrations that many never see. I am a parent to C, my bright, inquisitive, and spirited nine-year-old boy who has a dual diagnosis of autism and ADHD. Our journey to understanding

How Do I Manage My Stress & Stay Strong For My Child? Managing stress and staying strong as a parent or carer of a child with SEND is really important—for both you and your child. Here are simple and affordable ways to take care of yourself: 1. Take Small Breaks for Yourself Even a few minutes can

Applying for an EHCP (Education, Health, and Care Plan) involves asking your local council to assess your child’s needs. Here’s how it works in simple terms: 1. Where to Apply for an EHCP You need to contact your local authority’s SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) team. ● You can find their contact information on your local council’s website. ●

An EHCP plan stands for Education, Health, and Care Plan. It’s a document designed to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in the UK. Here’s a breakdown in simple terms: ● It’s a plan that sets out a child or young person’s specific educational, health, and care needs. ● It also lists the support

Advocating for your child with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) means speaking up and taking action to ensure they get the support they need at school, home, and in the community. Here’s how to do it in simple terms, with examples: 1. Understand Your Child’s Needs The first step in advocating is to understand your child’s strengths, challenges, and

Being a parent to a child with special educational needs is a unique journey, full of triumphs and challenges. But for my family, finding an appropriate educational placement for my son C—now nine years old—has been a battle we never anticipated. C has both autism and ADHD, and his Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) has stated his need

I first heard the term autism mentioned, in relation to my son C, when he was 18 months old.  C was, at that time, being looked after by a local childminder and what I remember so vividly is that his childminder kept commenting, that C did not play. Later on, we put C in a