SEN Support Guide: Advocating for Your Child’s Needs (UK)
- Jan 5
- 7 min read
School can be brilliant. But school can also feel like a never-ending email thread where everyone is "looping in the right person", and your child is the one paying the price.
This guide is parent-to-parent and focuses on navigating SEN Support (UK) processes (specifically England, based on the SEND framework) and is built to help you advocate calmly, clearly, and effectively with teachers, SENCOs, and senior leaders.
Important Note: This post is written from my experience as a parent alongside reputable UK guidance. It’s here to help you feel informed and confident, but it isn’t legal or professional advice. If you require tailored support, please speak with your school’s SENCO or a specialist service.
The 8-Step Advocacy Playbook
Identify Barriers: What is actually getting in the way?
Set Outcomes: Pick 2–3 goals for the next half-term.
Build Evidence: Keep a simple log of patterns.
Profile Your Child: Create a "One Page Profile" for staff.
The Meeting: Use a specific agenda to keep it focused.
The Plan: Agree on who does what (in writing).
Adjustments: Request "Reasonable Adjustments" under the Equality Act.
Escalate: If progress stalls, know the right ladder to climb.
1) SEN Support (UK): Start with outcomes, not labels
While labels (like ADHD or Autism) can help unlock understanding and services, progress happens faster when you describe impact.
Instead of focusing solely on the diagnosis, address the specific functional need. This provides the teacher with a roadmap for effective assistance.
Instead of: “He has ADHD.”
Try: “He can’t start tasks without prompts, loses track of multi-step instructions, and needs movement breaks to stay regulated.”
Note: While the diagnosis is important for identity and funding, for the classroom teacher, the functional need is what matters most.
Aim for 2–3 priority outcomes (for the next 6–8 weeks):
“Can settle into class within 5 minutes using a predictable routine.”
“Can complete independent work using a checklist and one check-in.”
“Can navigate transitions effectively when supported by proactive scaffolding and visual cues.”
This keeps everyone aligned on what success looks like, rather than just listing what is going wrong.
2) Understand the "Graduated Response" (So you can hold the line)
In England, SEN Support is delivered through a cycle called: Assess, Plan, Do, and Review.
Assess: What are the specific barriers?
Plan: What support will we try?
Do: Put the support in place (consistently).
Review: Did it work? What changes now?
Why this matters: In meetings, you can gently (but firmly) steer the conversation back to this cycle. “Okay, I see the issue. What are we assessing, what is the plan, who is doing it, and when are we reviewing?”
3) Build your “Parent Evidence Pack”
You don’t need a filing cabinet; you need clarity. Keep a simple running document or note on your phone that tracks:
Patterns: Sleep issues, anxiety, refusal to go to school, or meltdowns.
Timing: When do issues spike? (Mondays? After lunch? During transitions?)
What helps: Movement breaks, ear defenders, and visual aids.
What hurts: Surprises, shouting, being singled out.
The Goal: To show patterns over time so you’re not stuck debating one "bad day."
4) Do the "One Page Profile"
This is the fastest way to get staff up to speed. It is a single sheet of paper that says: "This is my child."
What to include:
Strengths: What motivates them? (Lego, trains, space, drawing).
Triggers: Specific things they find hard.
Support: Exact strategies that work (e.g., "Allow 10 seconds processing time").
Communication: Best tone of voice and prompt style.
This is vital for supply teachers, lunch supervisors, and new staff.
5) Book the right meeting (with the right agenda)
Don't just have a "chat at the gate." Ask for a 30–45 minute meeting with the Class Teacher and the SENCO.
Bring a one-page agenda:
Strengths and what is going well.
Current barriers (school and home).
2–3 proposed outcomes.
Adjustments to trial (who does what, how often).
Review date.
Pro Tip: After the meeting, email a summary ("Just to confirm what we agreed…") so nothing slips through the cracks.
6) Reasonable Adjustments: It’s not a "favour". Schools in England have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010.
Important: This duty applies to any pupil who meets the Act's definition of 'disability'. This definition is broad; it covers many children with long-term needs (like ADHD, Autism, or sensory processing differences) that affect their day-to-day activities. It is not about a label; it is about their legal right to support.
This is not optional, and it isn't "special treatment."
Examples of adjustments:
Visual: Now/Next boards, visual timetables, checklists.
Processing: Chunked instructions, written prompts.
Sensory: Ear defenders, quiet entry/exit, uniform adjustments (fabrics/seams).
Transition: Scaffolding changes between lessons, "safe space" passes.
How to frame it: "These adjustments reduce barriers so my child can access education on the same basis as peers. Can we trial them for 6 weeks and review the impact?"
7) Ensure there is an ACTUAL plan
A good SEN support plan must be specific. If the plan says "Support as needed," you need to tighten it.
Ask: "What does 'as needed' look like on a Tuesday morning?"
Ask: "Who is responsible for implementing this?"
Ask: "How will we measure if it worked?"
8) When SEN Support isn't enough
If the school cannot meet your child's needs through standard SEN support, you may need an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). This is a legal document describing needs and provision.
Resource: IPSEA provides clear guides and template letters for requesting an EHC needs assessment.
Resource: Contact explains the legal framework for families.
9) If things stall: Escalate like a pro
Escalation isn’t about being "difficult"; it’s about good governance. Follow the ladder:
Teacher / Form Tutor
SENCO
Head of Year / Pastoral Lead
Senior Leadership (Deputy / Head)
Formal Complaints Process
Don't go it alone. If you hit a wall, contact SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service). They provide free, impartial advice and can even support you in meetings.
10)Copy/paste templates (useful when you’re tired)
A) Meeting Request Email
Goal: To set a professional, legal tone from the very first interaction.
Subject: Support plan meeting for [Child’s Name]
Hello [Name],
I’d like to request a short meeting to agree on a structured support plan for [Child’s Name].
We are noticing [1–2 key barriers, e.g., difficulty during transitions or sensory overload in the lunch hall], and I’d like to discuss how we can implement reasonable adjustments to remove these hurdles and help [Child's Name] thrive.
I would like us to align on 2–3 specific outcomes for the next half-term and the support we will trial to reach them.
Proposed agenda:
Strengths: What is currently going well?
Barriers: Specific challenges at school and home.
Outcomes: What does success look like in 6–8 weeks?
Adjustments: Who owns which action, and how will it be measured?
Communication: How we will stay in touch and when we will review progress.
Please let me know a few dates and times that work for you over the next week.
Thank you,
[Your Name]
B) Follow-up Summary Email
Goal: To create a "paper trail" that ensures everyone is held accountable for the plan.
Subject: Summary + next steps for [Child’s Name]
Hello [Name],
Thank you for meeting with me today. It was great to align on a plan to help [Child's Name] feel regulated and confident in the classroom. To make sure nothing slips through the cracks, here is my summary of the Reasonable Adjustments and actions we agreed upon:
Outcomes (next 6–8 weeks): [e.g., [Child's Name] will settle into class within 5 minutes of arrival].
Support to be put in place: [e.g., Use of a visual "Now/Next" board and a workstation away from the radiator].
Accountability: [e.g., Class teacher to set up the board; SENCO to provide the workstation].
Review date: [Date]
Communication: [e.g., Weekly update via the home-school link book].
Please reply to this email if I have missed or misunderstood anything. I’ve found that keeping a shared record like this helps us all stay on the same page for [Child’s Name].
Best regards,
[Your Name]
C) One Page Profile Template
Goal: To help staff see your child as a "superhero" while giving them a tactical roadmap for support.
This is me! (A Profile for [Child's Name])
My Superpowers: (What people admire about me, my special interests, and what motivates me).
The Barriers: (Specific things I find hard right now, e.g., "I find loud noises painful" or "I struggle to start work without a prompt").
The Tools: (Exactly what helps me overcome those barriers, e.g., "Ear defenders during assembly" or "Breaking instructions into 3 clear steps").
My Triggers: (Things to watch out for that make me feel overwhelmed).
When I’m Struggling: (What my behaviour might look like when I’m dysregulated, remember, the behaviour is just the tip of the iceberg).
The Best Way to Support Me: (Specific scripts or actions for staff, e.g., "Give me 10 seconds of processing time before asking again").
UK organisations that can help (Credible & Practical)
Don't Google aimlessly; these are the specific bodies that understand the law and the system.
SENDIASS / IAS Network: Find your local service for free, impartial, and confidential SEND advice. They can often attend meetings with you.
IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Education Advice): The gold standard for legal guides and template letters (including the model letter to request an EHC needs assessment).
Contact: Excellent, parent-friendly guidance on what extra support should look like in mainstream schools.
Ambitious about Autism: Offers specific, practical advice on communicating effectively with schools (useful for all neurodivergent needs, not just autism).
Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC): Detailed technical guidance for schools on "Reasonable Adjustments" and discrimination.
GOV.UK: The official source for Equality Act advice for schools (good for checking the official government stance).
Local Councillor / Member of Parliament (MP): If the Local Authority is failing their statutory duties (e.g., missed deadlines), your MP can apply pressure from the top down.
You don’t need to be loud to be effective. You need to be clear, consistent, and documented. Your child doesn’t need a 'perfect' school system, just a school that is willing to learn who they are and put the right support in place.
I've been there, so I know it is not easy. My goal is to help other parents by sharing tools that make it doable. If this guide helped you, please share it with another parent who might be struggling.
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