Blog: Guidance for SEND Families

Education & School31st August ’269 min read

Pathological demand avoidance, explained for parents

PDA isn't a stand-alone diagnosis, it's a profile within autism. What pathological demand avoidance actually is, why areas argue about the label, and what tends to help at home.

Daily Life & Planning10th August ’266 min read

Getting the Equipment Your Child Needs

Four funded routes to equipment exist: DFG, NHS wheelchairs, council OT assessment, and charitable grants, each covering different needs.

Education & School7th August ’266 min read

Speech Therapy on Your EHCP: Getting It Delivered

SaLT is the most commonly specified and most commonly undelivered EHCP provision. If it's in Section F, the LA must secure it regardless of NHS waits.

Education & School5th August ’265 min read

Why so many children with SEND are missing school

More than a third of children with an EHCP were persistently absent in 2024/25, against one in seven of their peers with no identified needs. Here is what the official DfE data shows and your rights.

Daily Life & Planning3rd August ’267 min read

School Avoidance (EBSA): Legal Routes When Your Child Won't Go

EBSA is not truancy. When your child can't attend school due to anxiety or unmet needs, the law provides protections most families don't know about.

Benefits & Finance31st July ’266 min read

The Motability Scheme: What It Covers and How to Join

If your child gets DLA higher rate mobility or PIP enhanced mobility, you can lease a car with insurance, tax, and servicing included. Who qualifies, what's included, and the reassessment risk at 16.

Education & School29th July ’269 min read

Dyscalculia and Getting Maths Support at School

Dyscalculia is a specific learning difficulty with numbers. There's no NHS pathway to a diagnosis, and school must support the need anyway. What to ask for and how.

Benefits & Finance27th July ’266 min read

Wills and Trusts: Protecting Your Disabled Child's Benefits

A direct inheritance can wipe out your disabled child's means-tested benefits. A discretionary or disabled person's trust in your will protects them instead.

Education & School24th July ’2611 min read

How a Supported Internship Works and Who Qualifies

A supported internship is a course that happens mostly at a real workplace, with a job coach alongside. Who qualifies, how the year works, and what happens to the EHCP.

Education & School22nd July ’2610 min read

What Is an EOTAS Package and Who Can Get One

EOTAS is education the council arranges and funds outside any school, under section 61. What a package contains, how it differs from home education, and how to ask.

Benefits & Finance20th July ’266 min read

PIP rates and payments for young people explained

The four PIP weekly rates for 2026/27, how the 4-weekly payments land at 16 plus, and why an award is tax free, ignores savings and sits on top of Universal Credit.

Benefits & Finance19th July ’265 min read

Child Benefit at 16: The Rules for Disabled Young People

From September 2025, disabled young people studying fewer than 12 hours qualify. Missing the HMRC notification can cost up to £984/month.

Benefits & Finance19th July ’267 min read

The Five DLA Rates for Children Explained

DLA for children is paid at three care rates and two mobility rates. Here's the level of need each rate reflects, the age limits, and what an award can bring.

Education & School18th July ’268 min read

What Does a SENCO Do? A Parent's Guide

Every mainstream school in England must have a SENCO, a qualified teacher who coordinates SEN support. What they do, whether SENDCo means something different, and what they can't decide.

Rights & Legal17th July ’269 min read

The SEND Code of Practice and How to Use It

The SEND Code of Practice is the 2015 statutory guidance every council, school and NHS body in England must have regard to. What it is, and how to quote it.

Education & School16th July ’268 min read

What Is a Managed Move and Can You Refuse?

A managed move needs your genuine consent. It isn't an exclusion, and a school can't force you to agree. What to check before you sign anything.

Benefits & Finance15th July ’2614 min read

DLA for Dyspraxia, Hypermobility and Other Conditions

Dyspraxia, hypermobility, ARFID and Tourette's don't have a box on the DLA form. DLA is assessed on care and supervision needs, not the diagnosis label.

Benefits & Finance15th July ’266 min read

Grants for Disabled Children: Family Fund and More

Family Fund awarded 89,493 grants last year. DLA doesn't automatically qualify you. Here's what does, plus other grants you might be missing.

Daily Life & Planning14th July ’269 min read

Right to Choose for ADHD and Autism Assessments

NHS ADHD and autism assessment waits can run past six years in some areas. Right to Choose is a free legal right to ask for a different NHS provider instead.

Education & School13th July ’268 min read

Can You Get an EHCP for ADHD, Autism or Dyslexia?

An EHCP is granted on your child's needs. The legal test, and what it means for ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia and anxiety.

Daily Life & Planning12th July ’265 min read

Direct Payments: Funded Care You Control

Direct payments let you arrange your child's care yourself with council funding, no means test for children. What you can spend it on, and how to ask.

Education & School12th July ’264 min read

Why your postcode decides who gets a personal budget

Just 3.1% of EHCPs in England came with a personal budget in 2025, and whether your child gets one depends enormously on where you live. Here is the data by council and your right to ask.

Daily Life & Planning12th July ’267 min read

What Is the SEND Local Offer?

Every council in England must publish a Local Offer of SEND services by law. What it has to include, how to use it without an EHCP, and what to do if yours is thin.

Education & School11th July ’267 min read

What Is SEND? A Parent's First-Term Glossary

SEND stands for special educational needs and disabilities. A plain-English glossary of the terms you'll meet in your first term: SEN, SENCO, EHCP and more.

Daily Life & Planning10th July ’267 min read

What Is SENDIASS? What It Does and Doesn't Do

SENDIASS is free, confidential, and impartial support every council must provide. What it can help with, what it can't, and how to find yours.

Daily Life & Planning8th July ’266 min read

Legal Authority Over Your Child's Affairs After 18

At 18, you lose automatic legal authority over your child. Three routes exist to maintain it, each with different costs, timescales, and requirements.

Rights & Legal5th July ’265 min read

Bullying and SEND: Using the Equality Act

37% of disabled pupils face bullying. When bullying targets your child's disability, the Equality Act gives you legal routes the school can't ignore.

Education & School4th July ’2613 min read

PDA at school when your area does not recognise it

Your area says it does not recognise PDA, so the school will not act. Here is why your child's right to support does not depend on that label.

Education & School3rd July ’2611 min read

The Sections of an EHCP, A to K, Explained

An EHCP runs from Section A to Section K: what each section holds, which are legally binding, and which you can appeal.

Benefits & Finance2nd July ’2612 min read

Can a disabled teen claim Universal Credit in education?

A disabled young person in education can claim Universal Credit in their own right under Regulation 14(b), but it can stop your Child Benefit and UC for them.

Education & School1st July ’2611 min read

Moving to a New Council With an EHCP

Moving council in England does not cost your child their EHCP support. The new authority must maintain the plan and deliver Section F from the transfer date, normally the day you move.

Daily Life & Planning1st July ’267 min read

When Your Child Can't Attend School: Section 19 Duties

If your child can't attend school due to health, anxiety, or placement breakdown, the LA must provide full-time education. What Section 19 requires, and how to enforce it.

Education & School30th June ’2612 min read

SEND funding for nursery and early years

How nursery and pre-school support is funded in England: the SEN Inclusion Fund, the Disability Access Fund, and when to start the EHCP route early.

Daily Life & Planning29th June ’2613 min read

Getting a Social Care Assessment for Your Child

Your disabled child is automatically a 'child in need' under the Children Act 1989. Asking for a social care assessment, and what it can lead to.

Daily Life & Planning28th June ’267 min read

CAMHS Waiting Times: Your Child's Rights While Waiting

78,577 children waited over a year for CAMHS in 2023/24. Your child still has rights while waiting. Here's what you're entitled to and how to get support now.

Education & School28th June ’2613 min read

Medical needs at school and the law

Schools in England must support pupils with medical conditions under section 100. What Individual Healthcare Plans must include, and what to do if support fails.

Education & School27th June ’2612 min read

Keeping an EHCP into college and beyond

An EHCP does not end when your young person turns 16 or 18. It can continue to age 25 while they stay in education or training and still need the support.

Rights & Legal26th June ’2615 min read

Who to complain to when SEND support fails

When SEND support fails, the hardest part is knowing who can actually fix it. Here is which forum handles what, the deadlines, and how to avoid wasting months in the wrong one.

Benefits & Finance25th June ’2612 min read

Claiming DLA for cerebral palsy and physical needs

A diagnosis alone is not the DLA test. This guide shows how cerebral palsy and other physical needs map to the care and mobility components, and how to evidence them.

Benefits & Finance24th June ’2612 min read

DLA changes, renewals and backdating explained

Reporting a change to your child's DLA is a legal duty. This guide covers changes, renewals, backdating, decision times, the qualifying period, and what DLA opens up.

Education & School24th June ’268 min read

EHCP Personal Budgets: Taking Control of Your Child's Support

You can request control over how your child's EHCP provision is funded. Three delivery options, how to request, and what to do when the LA pushes back.

Education & School23rd June ’2615 min read

No school named on your child's EHCP

A school saying it is full is not a lawful reason to refuse a child with an EHCP. The council must name a placement, and a named school must admit. Here is what to do.

Education & School22nd June ’2612 min read

The council has missed your EHCP deadline

An EHCP must be issued within 20 weeks of the assessment request. If the council has missed the deadline, here is who to chase and what to do next.

Daily Life & Planning21st June ’267 min read

The Disabled Facilities Grant: Up to £30,000 for Home Changes

The Disabled Facilities Grant funds home adaptations up to £30,000. For children under 19, there's no means test. What it covers, who qualifies, and the process.

Education & School21st June ’2614 min read

When your child's EHCP is not being delivered

The EHCP says it, but it is not happening. The council, not the school, must secure Section F provision, and a funding or staffing shortage is no excuse.

Benefits & Finance20th June ’2611 min read

How PIP points and descriptors actually work

PIP is scored on points, not diagnosis. You need 8 points for the standard rate and 12 for the enhanced rate. A plain look at how the descriptors work.

Benefits & Finance19th June ’2610 min read

Can your young person get PIP for autism or ADHD?

PIP for autism or ADHD is possible at 16, but a diagnosis alone isn't the test. What the points measure, and what changes when your child turns 16.

Benefits & Finance18th June ’264 min read

DLA for disabled children: what the numbers show

860,000 children were receiving Disability Living Allowance in August 2025, and the number has roughly doubled in a decade. Here is what the official data shows about who gets it and what it pays.

Education & School18th June ’266 min read

EHCPs have more than doubled. Here's who has one

There were 718,838 EHCPs in force in England in January 2026, up 12.5% in a year and more than double the 2019 total. See DfE data on which needs they cover.

Rights & Legal18th June ’264 min read

Which councils do parents appeal against most?

More than 22,000 appeals were registered at the SEND tribunal in England in 2024, and how likely your council is to end up there varies more than twentyfold. Here is the data, council by council.

Education & School18th June ’265 min read

SEND and school exclusions: what the data shows

There were 913,000 suspensions in England's schools in 2024/25, the first fall in years. But children on SEN support fell further behind, not closer to their peers. The data and your rights.

Rights & Legal18th June ’266 min read

SEND tribunal appeals: who appeals, and who wins

Appeals to the SEND tribunal hit a record 25,000 in 2024/25, and 99% of the cases that reached a decision went in the family's favour. Here is what the official data shows.

Education & School17th June ’266 min read

EHCP timeliness by council: the 2025 data

Just 46.1% of new EHCPs were issued within the 20-week legal deadline in England in 2025, the lowest share in seven years. Search every local authority to see how your council compares.

Education & School17th June ’266 min read

Reduced Timetables: When They're Unlawful

Schools routinely put SEND children on part-time timetables. Here are the 8 conditions that must be met, and what to do if they're not.

Benefits & Finance16th June ’2611 min read

Claiming DLA for a Child With ADHD

A child with ADHD can qualify for DLA, and it turns on the supervision and prompting they need, not the diagnosis. How the care and mobility tests work, and how to describe ADHD on the form.

Benefits & Finance16th June ’2610 min read

Claiming DLA for a Child With ASD

Autistic children can qualify for DLA, and it turns on the help they need, not the diagnosis. How the care and mobility tests work, and how to describe autistic needs on the form.

Benefits & Finance14th June ’267 min read

Carer's Allowance Overpayments 2026: What's Changing

More than 200,000 Carer's Allowance overpayment cases are being reviewed. The average debt is nearly £1,000. Here's what's changing and what to do if you're affected.

How-to Guides11th June ’264 min read

A Beginner's Guide to AI for SEND Parents in England

AI feels like it's everywhere, but few of us feel we understand it. Here's a plain English explanation of what it is and how it can help with SEND.

How-to Guides11th June ’264 min read

How to Create a Free ChatGPT Account

A calm, step-by-step walkthrough of setting up a free ChatGPT account so you can use the SEND Parents Help assistant. No payment needed, about two minutes.

How-to Guides11th June ’265 min read

How to Upload Documents to ChatGPT

Once you can put a document in front of the assistant, it stops giving general answers and starts reading your child's actual EHCP, DLA form or letter. The full walkthrough, plus a word on privacy.

How-to Guides10th June ’266 min read

How to Appeal an EHCP Decision Using AI

Refused an assessment, refused a plan, or unhappy with what's in it? Use the free SEND Parents Help assistant to understand the decision and build your appeal.

How-to Guides10th June ’265 min read

Check Your Draft EHCP for Problems Using AI

You get 15 days to respond to a draft EHCP, and the wording decides whether the support is enforceable. The free assistant audits every line before you sign it off.

How-to Guides10th June ’265 min read

Check Which SEND Benefits You Can Claim With AI

Nobody hands you a list of what you can claim for a disabled child. Build your own personal benefits sweep with the free SEND Parents Help assistant.

News & Policy10th June ’267 min read

The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act and SEND Families

The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 introduces school registration, off-rolling protections, and home education changes. Here's what matters for SEND families.

How-to Guides10th June ’265 min read

Write a School or Council Complaint Letter With AI

You've asked nicely for months and nothing's changed. Turn that into a focused written complaint, with a free AI assistant to help you draft it.

How-to Guides10th June ’264 min read

Is AI Safe to Use for SEND Paperwork?

You've heard the horror stories about AI getting things wrong. Here's an honest look at whether it's safe to use for your child's SEND paperwork.

How-to Guides10th June ’265 min read

Write a Mandatory Reconsideration Letter With AI

The brown envelope says no, and the anger is real. Channel it into a focused reconsideration letter with help from a free AI assistant.

How-to Guides10th June ’265 min read

Writing Your EHCP Parental Views With AI

Section A of the EHCP is the one part written in your voice. Turn your lived experience into clear parental views with the free SEND Parents Help assistant.

How-to Guides10th June ’265 min read

Prepare for an EHCP Annual Review Using AI

A year of reports, one meeting that shapes the next. Use the free assistant to compare Section F against what actually happened and walk in prepared.

How-to Guides10th June ’264 min read

Use AI to Understand SEND Letters and Reports

A 14-page report about your own child, and you can't quite parse it. Decode SEND letters and reports with the free SEND Parents Help assistant.

How-to Guides10th June ’264 min read

How to Fill In the DLA Form Using AI

The DLA form asks you to catalogue your child's hardest days across 40 pages. Work through it, page by page, with the free SEND Parents Help assistant.

How-to Guides10th June ’265 min read

Write an EHCP Request Letter With AI Help

You don't need a solicitor to ask for an EHC needs assessment, just a letter that names the legal test. The free assistant turns your notes and school reports into one you can send today.

Benefits & Finance7th June ’264 min read

Benefit Rates from April 2026: What Changed

DLA, Carer's Allowance, and Universal Credit rates all changed on 6 April 2026. Here are the new figures that matter for SEND families.

How-to Guides3rd June ’265 min read

Prepare for a SEND Tribunal Hearing Using AI

Most families stand up at tribunal without a lawyer. A walkthrough of using the free assistant to organise your bundle, anticipate the LA's case, and rehearse the hearing.

News & Policy3rd June ’264 min read

The SEND Consultation Has Closed: What Happens Next

The SEND White Paper consultation closed on 18 May 2026: what it asked, what the government does with your responses now, and how to stay involved as the legislation takes shape.

News & Policy31st May ’267 min read

The SEND White Paper: What It Means for Your Family

The government's SEND White Paper proposes replacing EHCPs with Individual Support Plans from 2029: what it means and what to do now.

Education & School27th May ’266 min read

Exam Access Arrangements: Extra Time, Readers, and Other Support

Your child may be entitled to extra time, rest breaks, or other adjustments in exams. The school applies, but you need to know what's possible.

Daily Life & Planning24th May ’267 min read

Short Breaks and Respite Care: What's Available for SEND Families

Your local authority has a legal duty to provide short breaks for families of disabled children. Most families have never accessed them.

Daily Life & Planning20th May ’266 min read

Parent Carer Assessments: Your Right to Support Too

You have a legal right to an assessment of your own needs as a carer. Most SEND parents don't know it exists.

Daily Life & Planning17th May ’265 min read

Just Found Out Your Child Has SEND? Here's Where to Start

You don't need to do everything at once. The first steps are: talk to the SENCO, check DLA eligibility, and find your local SENDIASS.

Rights & Legal13th May ’268 min read

What Actually Happens at a SEND Tribunal

The SEND Tribunal sounds intimidating. But parents win most appeals, and you don't need a solicitor. Here's what actually happens.

Rights & Legal10th May ’266 min read

Disability Discrimination at School

The Equality Act 2010 protects your child from discrimination at school. What counts as discrimination, and the steps to challenge it.

Daily Life & Planning6th May ’266 min read

Turning 18 with SEND: What Happens to Your Child's Support

At 18, social care law changes completely. Your child's EHCP can continue, but everything else shifts. Here's what to prepare for.

Benefits & Finance3rd May ’266 min read

DLA to PIP at 16: What Changes and How to Prepare

DLA stops and PIP starts around age 16. The assessment is different, the criteria change, and many families lose money. What to do to protect the award.

Education & School29th April ’264 min read

School Transport for SEND Children

Your council may be legally required to provide free school transport, even if your home is close to the school. When the duty applies, and how to challenge a refusal.

Daily Life & Planning26th April ’265 min read

Your Child Doesn't Need a Diagnosis to Get Help

DLA is based on needs. EHCPs are based on needs. School support is based on needs. You can access all of these right now.

Daily Life & Planning22nd April ’265 min read

Getting a Diagnosis: NHS Pathways and Waits

NHS wait times for autism and ADHD diagnosis can stretch to years. The process step by step, what Right to Choose means, and why you don't need to wait.

Education & School19th April ’266 min read

Excluded SEND Child: Your Rights in England

Children on SEN support are permanently excluded six times as often as children with no identified SEN. But many exclusions are unlawful.

Education & School15th April ’265 min read

School Not Helping? What You Can Do

If your child's school isn't providing the right support, you have options. From informal conversations to formal complaints and beyond.

Education & School12th April ’266 min read

What Your School Should Provide on SEN Support

Your child's school has legal duties to support children with SEN, even without an EHCP. This covers what they should be doing.

Benefits & Finance8th April ’265 min read

Universal Credit and the Disabled Child Element

If your child gets DLA, your UC should include extra money. Many families miss this because they don't report the DLA award.

Benefits & Finance5th April ’264 min read

Can My Child Get a Blue Badge?

If your child gets DLA higher rate mobility, they're automatically entitled. But many children qualify through the discretionary route too.

Benefits & Finance1st April ’267 min read

Carer's Allowance: The Benefit Most SEND Parents Miss

If your child gets DLA middle or highest rate care, you could be entitled to Carer's Allowance. Most eligible parents don't claim it.

Education & School29th March ’268 min read

EHCP Refused? Your Right to Appeal

Between 90% and 98% of refusal-to-assess appeals are won by families. A refusal to assess isn't the end. Here's what to do next.

Education & School25th March ’268 min read

Requesting an EHCP Assessment: Step by Step

You can request an EHCP assessment yourself. No special form needed. Here's exactly how to do it and what evidence to include.

Education & School22nd March ’268 min read

What Is an EHCP? Does My Child Need One?

An EHCP is a legal document that forces your council to provide specific support. The signs your child might need one, and what to do next.

Benefits & Finance18th March ’269 min read

DLA Rejected? What to Do Next

Around 60% of DLA cases that reach tribunal are decided in the family's favour. Here's what to do next.

Benefits & Finance17th March ’2615 min read

Applying for DLA: What Every Parent Needs to Know

The DLA form is long and the criteria feel vague. This guide walks you through every step, from eligibility to evidence to what happens after you apply.

News & Policy14th March ’263 min read

Welcome to the SEND Parents Help Blog

Practical guides, policy updates, and plain-English advice for parents and carers navigating the SEND system in England, written by a parent who has been through it.

Stories & Guidance from the Frontline

Who to Call for SEND Help and Advice

Moving schools mid-year when your child has SEND

How long a SEND tribunal really takes, and how the backlog has grown

Latest guidance

Tax-Free Childcare when your child is disabled

Choosing a secondary school when your child has an EHCP

Access to Work for apprenticeships and first jobs

Pathological demand avoidance, explained for parents

Getting the Equipment Your Child Needs

Speech Therapy on Your EHCP: Getting It Delivered

Why so many children with SEND are missing school

School Avoidance (EBSA): Legal Routes When Your Child Won't Go

The Motability Scheme: What It Covers and How to Join

Dyscalculia and Getting Maths Support at School

Wills and Trusts: Protecting Your Disabled Child's Benefits

How a Supported Internship Works and Who Qualifies

What Is an EOTAS Package and Who Can Get One

PIP rates and payments for young people explained

Child Benefit at 16: The Rules for Disabled Young People

The Five DLA Rates for Children Explained

What Does a SENCO Do? A Parent's Guide

The SEND Code of Practice and How to Use It

What Is a Managed Move and Can You Refuse?

DLA for Dyspraxia, Hypermobility and Other Conditions

Grants for Disabled Children: Family Fund and More

Right to Choose for ADHD and Autism Assessments

Can You Get an EHCP for ADHD, Autism or Dyslexia?

Direct Payments: Funded Care You Control

Why your postcode decides who gets a personal budget

What Is the SEND Local Offer?

What Is SEND? A Parent's First-Term Glossary

What Is SENDIASS? What It Does and Doesn't Do

Legal Authority Over Your Child's Affairs After 18

Bullying and SEND: Using the Equality Act

PDA at school when your area does not recognise it

The Sections of an EHCP, A to K, Explained

Can a disabled teen claim Universal Credit in education?

Moving to a New Council With an EHCP

When Your Child Can't Attend School: Section 19 Duties

SEND funding for nursery and early years

Getting a Social Care Assessment for Your Child

CAMHS Waiting Times: Your Child's Rights While Waiting

Medical needs at school and the law

Keeping an EHCP into college and beyond

Who to complain to when SEND support fails

Claiming DLA for cerebral palsy and physical needs

DLA changes, renewals and backdating explained

EHCP Personal Budgets: Taking Control of Your Child's Support

No school named on your child's EHCP

The council has missed your EHCP deadline

The Disabled Facilities Grant: Up to £30,000 for Home Changes

When your child's EHCP is not being delivered

How PIP points and descriptors actually work

Can your young person get PIP for autism or ADHD?

DLA for disabled children: what the numbers show

EHCPs have more than doubled. Here's who has one

Which councils do parents appeal against most?

SEND and school exclusions: what the data shows

SEND tribunal appeals: who appeals, and who wins

EHCP timeliness by council: the 2025 data

Reduced Timetables: When They're Unlawful

Claiming DLA for a Child With ADHD

Claiming DLA for a Child With ASD

Carer's Allowance Overpayments 2026: What's Changing

A Beginner's Guide to AI for SEND Parents in England

How to Create a Free ChatGPT Account

How to Upload Documents to ChatGPT

How to Appeal an EHCP Decision Using AI

Check Your Draft EHCP for Problems Using AI

Check Which SEND Benefits You Can Claim With AI

The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act and SEND Families

Write a School or Council Complaint Letter With AI

Is AI Safe to Use for SEND Paperwork?

Write a Mandatory Reconsideration Letter With AI

Writing Your EHCP Parental Views With AI

Prepare for an EHCP Annual Review Using AI

Use AI to Understand SEND Letters and Reports

How to Fill In the DLA Form Using AI

Write an EHCP Request Letter With AI Help