Webinars

Recorded November 2024

Hosted by Eleanor Wright, SOS!SEN Legal Officer. This webinar includes –

• What is change of phase?
• Deadlines for final amended EHCPs naming new placements
• When should annual reviews take place before change of phase?
• What should happen at phase change review meetings?
• Can LAs require parents to name their school/college preference early?
• What should happen after review meetings?
• Do LAs have to comply with parental preference for placements?
• Can 16+ colleges refuse to be named before exam results come out?
• Enforcing time limits and your appeal rights

Recorded November 2024

Hosted by Eleanor Wright, SOS!SEN Legal Officer. This webinar includes –

• Your child’s rights to home to school transport
• Post 16 transport
• Post 19 transport
• Challenging the refusal of transport
• Enforcing transport rights

Recorded November 2024

Hosted by Eleanor Wright, SOS!SEN Legal Officer and experienced volunteers Charlotte Burnell and Tanya Williams. This webinar includes –

• When does the EHCP come to an end?
• What should your LA be doing to facilitate the transition
• Applying for Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)
• Practical tips for young people, parents and carers

Recorded October 2024

Hosted by Eleanor Wright, SOS!SEN Legal Officer. This webinar includes –

• Difference in SEND law between children and young people and legal consequences
• Mental capacity
• Preparation for adulthood – when does this start, what should be considered
• Amending EHCPs for post 16 education
• Social care involvement
• 5 day packages
• Can LAs limit how long they will fund post 18 education?
• Ceasing to maintain EHCPs
• Transport for over 16s

Recorded October 2024

Hosted by Eleanor Wright, SOS!SEN Legal Officer. This webinar includes –

• What advice and information should be obtained during the assessment period
• Timescales
• Format of EHC Plans
• Content of each section of EHC Plans
• Includes discussion of a Draft Plan with pointers on what to look out for

Recorded July 2024

Hosted by Megan Booth, experienced volunteer at SOS!SEN.

Recorded June 2024

Hosted by Eleanor Wright, Legal Officer at SOS!SEN.

• Refusal to issue an EHCP
• Contents of EHCPs (including health and social care sections)

• Who has the right to appeal for young people over 16?
• Representatives and advocates?
• Should I opt for a paper hearing?
• Drafting appeal grounds – legal tests and strategy
• Evidence to be filed with the form

Recorded June 2024

Charlotte Burnell, experienced volunteer, provides insight on how to prepare for the annual review and what to expect.

The webinar includes:

• What are they and when do they take place?
• Who is involved?
• The law
• What should happen before, during and after an annual review?
• Key stage transfer reviews
• Emergency or interim reviews
• How can you prepare?
• Annual reviews during Appeal

Recorded May 2024

Hosted by Megan Booth, experienced volunteer at SOS!SEN.

The webinar includes:

• Understanding the purpose and process of a working document
• Discussion of frequent problems with Sections B and F and what should be included
• How to consider the evidence and use it
• Tips and tricks

Recorded May 2024

Hosted by Charlotte Burnell, experienced volunteer at SOS!SEN.

This webinar includes –

• What is the Special Needs & Disability Tribunal?
• The hearing – on-line, paper or face to face?
• How to prepare for and take part in online hearings
• The Bundle
• The Working Document
• Late evidence
• Witnesses
• Helpful hints and tips

Recorded May 2024 – includes webinar, slides and a sample appeal grounds.

Hosted by Eleanor Wright, Legal Officer for SOS!SEN.

This webinar includes –

• How long should appeal grounds be?
• Legal issues, including law relating to school placements in EHCPs
• How much detail should EHCPs include?
• Strategy
• Format
• Use of evidence
• Amending grounds
• Discussion of sample appeal grounds

Recorded May 2024

Hosted by Eleanor Wright, Legal Officer for SOS!SEN.

This webinar includes –

• Time limits for appealing
• Mediation
• Extended powers appeals (health and care sections)
• Evidence including expert evidence
• Strategy
• The appeal timetable
• Case management
• Working documents

Recorded April 2024

Hosted by Eleanor Wright, Legal Officer for SOS!SEN.

This webinar includes –

• Department for Education guidance on behaviour
• Equality issues in discipline and uniform policies
• Remedies for disability discrimination
• Use of removal/isolation rooms
• Part-time timetables and off-rolling
• Manged moves and alternative placements
• Suspensions and permanent exclusions, including reviews of exclusion decisions

Recorded March 2024

Hosted by Megan Booth from SOS!SEN

This webinar includes –

• Understanding the different avenues for complaints depending on what you are complaining about
• Ideas on how to format your complaint for clarity
• Details about complaining to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman
• What they can investigate, remedies they can offer

Recorded March 2024

Hosted by Eleanor Wright, Legal Officer for SOS!SEN.

This webinar covers –

• Difference in SEND law between children and young people and legal consequences
• Mental capacity
• Preparation for adulthood – when does this start, what should be considered?
• Amending EHCPs for post 16 education
• Social care involvement
• 5 day packages
• Can LAs limit how long they will fund post 18 education?
• Ceasing to maintain EHCPs
• Higher education (summary)
• Transport for over 16s

Recorded March 2024

Hosted by Megan Booth from SOS!SEN

This webinar will include –

• What are the legal tests for EOTAS
• How to build and evidence an argument
• How might the EOTAS provision be written into Section F
• What might EOTAS provision include
• What to expect after you have secured EOTAS in the EHCP

Recorded February 2024

Hosted by Megan Booth from SOS!SEN. This webinar covers –

• Explanation of what EBSNA (Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance) is
• Signs of and reasons for EBSNA
• How to talk to school about it
• Reasonable adjustments you can expect
• How to capture your child’s views

Recorded February 2024

Hosted by Eleanor Wright, Legal Officer for SOS!SEN.

This webinar covers –

• Time limits for appealing
• Mediation
• When can you appeal against the contents of an EHCP?
• Which parts of the EHCP can you appeal against?
• Brief summary on drafting appeal grounds
• Supporting evidence, witnesses and reports
• Tribunal process and strategy
• What should the LA response cover and what to do if it fails to comply
• Applications to the tribunal
• Brief overview on working documents
• Case management forms and hearings
• Judicial Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Settling appeals
• Checking the document bundle and preparing for hearing

Recorded January 2024

Hosted by Eleanor Wright, Legal Officer for SOS!SEN.

This webinar covers –

• Preparing appeals against Refusal to Assess and Refusal to Issue EHCPs
• Time limits for appealing
• Mediation
• Drafting appeal grounds – what do you need to focus on?
• Supporting evidence, witnesses and reports
• Tribunal process and strategy
• What should the LA response cover and what to do if it fails to comply
• Applications to the tribunal
• Case management forms and online case management hearings
• Settling appeals
• Checking the document bundle and preparing for hearing

Recorded January 2024

Led by Eleanor Wright, SOS!SEN Legal Officer. This webinar covers the following topics –

• What advice and information should be obtained during the assessment period
• Timescales
• Format of EHC Plans
• Content of each section of EHC Plans
• Includes discussion of a Draft Plan with pointers on what to look out for

Led by Eleanor Wright, SOS!SEN Legal Officer. This webinar covers the following topics –

• Who can request assessment
• Information to be supplied
• Assessments: who from, how can these be managed currently?

Led by Marion Strudwick, SOS!SEN Founder and Dr Sarah Ghotra
This will cover your first concerns about your child.

• Could they have special needs and what action can I take?
• Identifying Special Educational Needs
• How to get started: What can I do to get help and where can I go?
• Getting the right education.
• What are my rights? Can I trust the Local Authority?
• Practical things YOU can do – Knowledge is Power!

Led by Marion Strudwick, SOS!SEN Founder and Dr Sarah Ghotra. This webinar covers the following topics.

• Who is responsible for SEN Support?
• Contacting the Local Authority.
• Getting help.
• Working with School.
• Working with your GP.
• Coping with meetings. Keeping records.
• What is SEN support – should my child be on it?
• If there is a communications breakdown
• The next steps: EHC assessments

Led by Eleanor Wright, SOS!SEN Legal Officer. This webinar covers the following topics.

• Who can request assessment
• Information to be supplied
• How does coronavirus affect the process?
• Assessments: who from, how can these be managed currently?
• Brief overview of what to look for in a draft EHCP.

With extended Q&A, this webinar is led by Eleanor Wright, SOS!SEN Legal Officer and Marion Strudwick, Senior Volunteer & SOS!SEN Founder. This webinar covers the following topics.

• What advice and information should be obtained during the assessment period
• Timescales
• Format of EHC Plans
• Content of each section of EHC Plans
• Includes discussion of a draft Plan with pointers on what to look out for.
• Q&A

With extended Q&A, this webinar is led by Eleanor Wright, SOS!SEN Legal Officer and Charlotte Burnell, SOS!SEN Volunteer. This webinar covers the following topics.

• How to request assessment
• Documentation to send with request
• Lawful and unlawful criteria for assessment
• Enforcing deadline for assessment decision
• Drafting appeal against refusal to assess
• Appeal strategy and procedure
• Sample appeal grounds will be provided.

With extended Q&A, this webinar covers the following topics.

• What evidence should have been obtained during assessment?
• Timescales and enforcing deadlines
• Legal criteria for decision to issue
• Drafting appeal against refusal to issue EHCP
• Appeal strategy and procedure
• Sample appeal grounds will be provided.

Led by Eleanor Wright, SOS!SEN Legal Officer, this webinar covers the following topics.

• Time limits for appeal
• What you can appeal against
• Mediation
• Lodging the appeal, including preparing appeal grounds and evidence to file with appeal
• Timetable
• Expert evidence and witnesses
• LA responses and strategy
• Making applications
• Case management
• Brief overviews on:
  • Working documents
  • Preparation for hearings
  • Hearings

With extended Q&A, this webinar is led by Eleanor Wright, SOS!SEN Legal Officer and Charlotte Burnell, SOS!SEN Volunteer. This webinar covers the following topics.

• Appeal form
• Strategy for appeals
• How long should appeal grounds be?
• How much law should I include?
• Points to look out for in the EHCP
• Evidence

This webinar follows on from the appeal against the contents of an EHC Plan webinar. Sample appeal grounds are provided and discussed.

Led by Jane Parslow, Transitions Coach, Ann Bauer, Specialist Teacher and Eleanor Wright, SOS!SEN Legal Officer.

It’s always useful to start a meeting feeling confident and ready for what’s ahead!

Jane explores what confidence means to you and discuss some tips and techniques to overcome any anxiety and build your confidence.

Ann discusses what to expect in an annual review from initial paperwork to receiving the final document. Actions that are common but should be deemed unacceptable.

Led by Charlotte Burnell, SOS!SEN Volunteer and Eleanor Wright, SOS!SEN Legal Officer, this webinar covers the following topics.

• What to expect
• Practical tips
• How to access them
• Technical help
• Preparing for hearings
• Communication with witnesses and representatives during hearing
• Hearing strategy
• Tips and tricks for video, telephone and face-to-face hearing
• Q&A

Led by Eleanor Wright, SOS!SEN Legal Officer, this webinar covers the following topics.

• Unlawful exclusions, including part time timetables, and what to do about them
• Internal exclusions
• Fixed term and permanent exclusions – when can they be imposed and what are the legal requirements
• Duties to provide education for excluded children
• Challenging exclusions – governors’ reviews and independent review panels
• Disability discrimination and exclusions

Led by Eleanor Wright, SOS!SEN Legal officer. This webinar covers the following topics –

• Definition of “young person” and practical and legal consequences
• Capacity to make decisions
• Right to education and SEN provision
• Planning for post 16 education and outcomes
• Social care provision in EHCPs
• Five day packages in further education
• Apprenticeships
• Ceasing to maintain an EHCP
• Higher Education
• Appeals
• Transport

With extended Q&A and led by Eleanor Wright, SOS!SEN Legal Officer and Charlotte Burnell, SOS!SEN Volunteer, this webinar covers the following topics.

• Your child’s rights to home to school transport
• Post 16 transport
• Post 19 transport
• Challenging the refusal of transport
• Enforcing transport rights

Led by Dr Ann Bauer, Assessor, Specialist Teacher, Researcher and Writer. This webinar covers the following topics.

• SEN provision in Secondary schools
• What might be expected and the COP
• Hurdles and obstacles
• School assessments
• Keeping records
• Challenges of linking the school and Independent tutors

Led by Dr Ann Bauer, Assessor, Specialist Teacher, Researcher and Writer. This webinar covers the following topics.

• Understanding reports: what the tests are about, why do them and what we learn from them
• Hidden effects: how does dyslexia affect daily life in the classroom and beyond?
• What can schools offer to help?
• Q&A

Led by Jemma Levy, Independent Educational Psychologist, this webinar covers the following topics.

• Mainstream, specialist unit or special schools – points to consider in deciding which is right for your child
• What to look for on school websites and prospectuses
• What to look for and questions to ask when visiting schools
• How can an Educational Psychologist help, and what should they be covering in their reports
• Preparing evidence to support your preferred placement in a tribunal appeal.

Led by Dr Sarah Ghotra, Consultant Community Paediatrician, this webinar covers the following.

• Involvement of Health care in the identification of Learning Difficulties and Disabilities
• SEN historical issues of communication between the Education and Health services
• Ways to navigate the referral to specialist services
• How a Community Paediatrician can take things further in terms of identifying Learning Difficulties/Disabilities and SEN.

Led by Anna Johansson, Nursery manager and Penny Bridgeland, Retired Headteacher and SOS!SEN Trustee, this webinar covers the following topics.

• Defining and Understanding ‘School Readiness’
• How the nursery setting prepares your child for School
• How the school prepares for your child at reception and in consideration of EHCP too
• The importance of early intervention at nursery
• Advice on how parents can work with the nursery/school to understand their policies and settling in processes
• Practical tips/advice for parents supporting their child in the transition

Led by Sarah Sherwood, Director of SEN for LVS Hassocks and LVS Oxford, this webinar covers the following topics.

• How units are generally set up in Primary Schools
• How units are generally set up in Secondary Schools
• % of access to mainstream expected
• Benefits of attending a unit attached to a mainstream
• Possible restrictions of attending a unit attached to a mainstream
• How ASD Schools generally operate
• Curriculum at Specialist ASD Schools
• Benefits of attending a Specialist ASD School
• Possible restrictions of attending a Specialist ASD School

Led by Laura Kerbey, Autism & Education Consultant, Founder of Positive Autism Support and Training (PAST), Healthy Happy Me, and KITE Therapeutic Learning Services, this webinar covers the following topics.

• Understand the impact PDA has on a child, teenager or young adult and how they might be supported.
• Understanding anxiety
• Understand what PDA is and how it differs from other forms of autism
• Understanding the causes of behaviour that challenges
• Employ strategies to minimise challenging behaviour and support your child during times of crisis
• Building resilience

Led by Dr Ann Bauer, Assessor, Specialist Teacher, Researcher and Writer, this webinar covers the following topics.

• Why does my child struggle with maths?
• Number
• Language
• Concepts
• Word problems/reasoning
• Sequencing
• Memory
• Speed of processing
• Some ideas for helping your child

Led by Eleanor Wright, SOS!SEN Legal Officer, Charlotte, Tanya, and Sharon, SOS!SEN Volunteers, this webinar covers the following topics.

• The importance of preparation in the years before for a YP with an EHCP
• When does the EHCP come to an end?
• What should your LA be doing to facilitate transition?
• HE reasonable adjustments
• Applying for Disabled Students’ Allowance
• Looking at universities and open days
• Practical tips for young people, parents and carers

Led by Libby Hill, Independent Speech and Language Therapist.

Libby looks at the factors SLTs are interested in and shows why they’re important

Led by Beth Holbrook, Solicitor, Public Law Team at Simpson Millar, this webinar covers the following topics.

• How the Equality Act duties fit alongside the SEN duties.
• Explanation of the remedies available both through making a Disability Discrimination claim and through alternative routes such as JR.
• When it is worth making a claim and when other courses of action might be more appropriate
• Real life case studies

Led by Valerie Hero, Independent Educational Psychologist.

Most parents of a child with SEN will encounter an educational psychologist who will work with the young person to identify the nature and extent of their learning differences.

The webinar will cover:

• The rationale behind assessments
• Methodology and the kind of information that can be gleaned to explain the nature of the young person’s difficulties and the support/provision required to adequately meet needs.

Led by Karen McGuigan, Founder, Maths For Life programme, this webinar covers the following topics.

• Maths For Life is a differentiated approach to teaching maths that is designed for students with additional learning needs, for whom the standard maths national curriculum structure and timescale is unattainable.
• Maths For Life offers an evolving, accessible, differentiated maths learning programme for school and home. Starting with prenumber skills, Maths For Life lays solid foundations. With age neutral, engaging, life-based content, it prioritises and delivers the maths skills needed for life.
• This webinar will explore the challenges children face when tackling maths, look at supporting a child for success and how the Maths For Life approach can help. It will also cover the foundations maths topics and some easy, actionable next steps.

Led by Eleanor Wright, SOS!SEN Legal Officer and Laura Kerbey, Autism & Education Consultant, Founder of Positive Autism Support and Training (PAST), Healthy Happy Me, and KITE Therapeutic Learning, this webinar covers the following topics.

• The difference between home schooling and EOTAS
• Legal entitlements and responsibilities when home schooling
• The law relating to EOTAS – rights and responsibilities
• How to make a case for EOTAS to the LA and/or tribunal
• What home schooling / EOTAS looks like in practice
• Tips for parents around their own needs when supporting children who are home-educated
• Support for siblings
• Q&A

Led by Eleanor Wright, SOS!SEN Legal Officer and Megan Booth, SOS!SEN Volunteer, this webinar covers the following topics.

• School attendance – the rules and enforcement process
• Children unable to attend for health reasons and school refusers
• Children out of school due to lawful and unlawful exclusion
• Right to full time education and special educational provision
• EOTAS (Education otherwise than at school) and Elective Home Education
• Q&A

Led by Eleanor Wright, SOS!SEN Legal Officer and Megan Booth, SOS!SEN Volunteer, this webinar covers the following topics.

• Background to the SEND Review
• Headline proposals in the Green Paper and their implications
• Discussion of consultation questions in the Green Paper
• What has been left out?
• What happens next?

Led by Sallie Crook, Schools and Community Outreach Manager with ADHD Embrace, this webinar covers the following topics.

• What is ADHD
• Overview of diagnosis pathway
• Treatment and Support
• What schools can do to help
• ADHD Embrace – our offering
• Q&A