SEN consultant / advocate

[MorningBliss]

Hi I posted on SN board but no replies. Does anyone know where I can find a Sen consultant? There are some Facebook groups offering this service but want to know how to find a legit one before I part with any money. Any recommendations? Thanks

Didn’t see this on the SEN boards.
What sort of support/ advice are you looking for? Legal, Educational or navigating the systems? Have you looked on IPSEA and Special Needs Jungle?
Is the parent support service not able to help and advise in your area?
If there’s a specific area of need, some charities have directories for support in particular regions.
Parent support groups can also often advise you.

What exactly are you looking for?

I’ve used this company for some advice before: sossen.org.uk/

It depends what you advice yoy need
Have you tried the local Sendias ?
And have you looked on your local offer?

I want to pay for some help with the working document, free charities don’t help with that. I need some more in-depth support.

Anyone?

Sossen do have a working document service. I've also used educational equality before and most send solicitors offer this service.

What are you calling the working document? Parental EHCNA request? EHCP review or parental advice? DLA request?
As I said charities may signpost/ recommend someone or a service. Parent SEN support services support with form filling as PP says. They aren’t charities.
We ran a parent support group for 10 years voluntarily (whilst working full time) and often helped parents with forms etc.

ChatGPT is good for this. You can put exact requirements in and ask for reference to SEND code of practice etc.

What kind of working document? A letter you are drafting about your child's needs? For whom - school or like a club or something? Something official like an application EHCP, or DLA assessment request...?

An SEN consultant isn't something that exists per say so you are unlikely to get a response just for that in general. There are specialists in SEN in different fields such as medical (NHS), education (local authorities), social services (for stuff like house adaptations or support with care) or non statutory services such us charities or maybe big organisations... but who you need will depend on what you are trying to achieve.

There’s loads advising on Facebook that they help with this, it’s the working document for tribunal I won’t be able to do it on my own so need an expert who can go over everything and make sure the EHCP is up to scratch

I use this person: https://sendallies.org.uk/ in a few hours, she made more progress than we had in years. Highly recommend her.

Send and ehcp advice and support, Sen parent support group, send education for all send and ehcp support are a few groups offering this service.

i think she will help with a document and even sit in on tribunals with you. She does all my paperwork now. I do it and she checks it and advises.

Thank you I will take a look

Sen consultants/advocates absolutely are a thing and anyone with experience in this area would know exactly what a working document is.

You might find the reviews here a useful starting point.

That said, we used one of the 5* ones to ‘help’ at mediation (to get the LA to name our preferred school) and as a result of changes she recommended be made to our EHCP, the school withdrew their offer 😭. They did reinstate it after much persistence on my husband’s part and things are working out really well currently, but it was an immensely stressful time
and she has never followed up.

ChatGPT shouldn’t be relied on. AI makes up case law, misunderstands legislation, invents barristers’ names. To the point it was commented on in a UT case earlier this year. Proposed amendments to the WD need to be rooted in the evidence.

For those who don’t know, a working document is the finalised EHCP under appeal as a word document. It goes back and forth as part of a contents appeal to SENDIST. Both parties use it to propose the amendments they are seeking.

I have posted on your other thread OP, but SOSSEN, the charity a pp and I suggested, can help with the WD even though they are a charity. It is a paid for service rather than free though. IPSEA has a free Tribunal casework service, but they are very oversubscribed, so support from them can’t be guaranteed.

I used a Hollie Blacklaws at HCB.
www.hcbgroup.com/site/people/profile/hollyblacklaws#:~:text=Holly%20specialises%20in%20Special%20Educational,Educational%20Institutions%20and%20Local%20Authorities.

She represented my child at tribunal and was excellent. We won an independent specialist school.

Thanks all. Yeah I wouldn’t use chat GPT thanks for the recommendations

Hi there,
did you find someone to have a look? We have just received the working document and need some support. Many thanks

Hi there,
did you find someone to have a look? We have just received the working document and need some support. Many thanks

This is a company recently set up by a friend of mine who has masses of experience and integrity. I wouldn’t post without stating my connection.
https://www.senadvocacyservices.co.uk/

No we need to see the educational psychologist first I’m just getting ready to find someone for now for when we have our reports back

The SEN Expert is highly regarded.

F