SEN and Disability Tribunal Service

We’re responsible for handling appeals against local authority decisions regarding special educational needs, including a refusal to:

• assess a child or young person’s educational, health and care (EHC) needs
• reassess their EHC needs
• issue an EHC plan
• change what’s in a child or young person’s EHC plan
• maintain the EHC plan

We also handle appeals against decisions to refuse young people in custody:

• an EHC assessment
• an EHC plan after assessment
• a placement to a suitable school or other educational institution after their release

We also handle appeals against discrimination by schools or local authorities due to a child’s disability.

Rochdale SENDIASS (Rochdale Special Educational Needs Disability Information Advice Support Service) provides free confidential and impartial information, advice and support.we can provide information regarding disagreement resolution services and appeals to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDIST).

Kids SEND Mediation and Disagreement Resolution is a quicker and less formal way to resolve disagreements than going to Tribunal. We help families resolve disputes with the local authority or health service. We are an independent service. That means we’re not part of the local authority. Our service is free of charge for families and is for children and young people aged 0 – 25 with SEND or who may have SEND.

IPSEA (Independent Parental Special Education Advice) offers free and independent legally based information, advice and support to help get the right education for children and young people with all kinds of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).