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A monumental change is sweeping through the English private rented sector with the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. This landmark legislation promises a profound shift towards greater security, stability, and fairness for the nation's...
Delays in private law children proceedings can have profound and lasting impacts on children and families navigating separation or conflict. Despite efforts to streamline the family justice system, many cases continue to face significant backlogs, prolonged...
Thinking about buying a home? Whether it is your first or your fifth, the process can feel like a lot. But don’t worry - once you know the steps and have the right support, it gets a whole lot easier. Step 1: Check Your Finances Before you even...
Moving in together is an exciting step, but it also brings practical considerations - especially when it comes to finances, property, and responsibilities. A cohabitation agreement is a legal document that can protect both partners by clearly outlining what...
As the summer holidays are in now in full swing, many children/ young people and their parents are looking forward to their new school placement come September. For many this is an exciting time, however, for children/ young people with special educational...
The number of appeals being brought to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal continues to rise. As a result, many parents are experiencing significantly longer wait times for their final appeal hearings to be heard. This increase in delays is...
On 08 July 2025, a proposed new Bill was discussed in Parliament calling for provision to be made for the evaluation of training about special educational needs and disabilities in initial teacher education. If the Bill is passed, the legislation will...
If you are a council tenant in the UK, you might have heard whispers about the Right to Buy scheme - maybe from a neighbour, a friend, or even a leaflet through the door. What is it exactly? Could this be your ticket to finally owning your own home? Let us...
Creating a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is one of the most important legal steps you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones. It gives someone you trust (your ‘attorney’) the legal authority to make decisions on your behalf if you...
Making Plans for the Summer With school holidays just around the corner, separated parents will by now be making plans for their children’s summer. This can be a difficult task but what is the best way to go about it? Working Together as Co-Parents ...
A child’s wishes and feelings has always formed part of the court’s consideration when making a decision in relation to a child. However recent guidance from the President of the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane has offered judges a...
School holidays are usually viewed as a much-needed break for children, providing time for rest and recreation away from the classroom. However, for children who have Special Educational Needs and disabilities (SEND), these breaks can pose unique challenges....
As the final year of the implementation of the Additional Learning Needs (ALN) system is upon us, we have detailed within this blog the process of securing an Individual Development Plan (IDP). During 2018, the Welsh Government passed new legislation called...
Buying or selling a home is a significant yet potentially stressful event, often filled with excitement and anticipation. One of the critical processes involved in buying a property is conveyancing, which refers to the legal transfer of ownership from one...
Changes to bundles, expert evidence and working documents in the SEND Tribunal The First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability), also known as the SEND Tribunal , has issued a Practice Direction, which provides new and very specific...
A Friendly Guide from Our Conveyancing Experts Buying a house is one of the most exciting, and sometimes daunting, experiences in life. Whether you're a first-time buyer or moving up the property ladder, knowing what to look out for when buying a home...
In recent years we have seen possibly the biggest change in the family law system for some time with the No Fault Divorce system. With that issue now dealt with the government are now due to publish a consultation on the rights of cohabiting couples next...
On 3 March 2025, parents across England and Wales received secondary school admission results. If your child didn’t get your preferred school, you can appeal the decision. Why was my child not offered a place at our preferred school? Under the School...
By Saturday the 15th of February 2025, Local Authorities must comply with their statutory duty of issuing final Education, Heath, and Care Plans (EHCP) for every child going through a phase transfer at school. These EHCPs must name in Section I the...
Local Authorities are not meeting their statutory deadlines for assessing a child’s special educational needs, and thereafter if agreed, issuing Education, Health and Care Plans (‘EHCP’). A recent BBC Report into Local Authorities missed...
Understanding Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014 As specialist education law solicitors, we regularly help parents and professionals navigate the complex world of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). One of the most common questions we...
As the number of children with SEND who are not in full-time education continues to rise, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has released plans to visit local authority areas to assess the support in place for these children. Ofsted intends to...
Under proposed legislation recently introduced in Parliament, the right to home education would no longer be automatic for parents of the most at-risk children, under the current proposals. Education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, unveiled the...
Recent tribunal statistics published for the 2023 – 2024 academic year (which can be found here ) undoubtedly signify the increasing pressures encountered by the SEND Tribunal and the growing concerns shared by parents of children with Special...
Moving house and to a new area can be a stressful process. The difficulty of this can be exacerbated if you have a child or young person with special educational needs who is supported by an EHCP. Questions can understandably arise as to who will...
Statistics suggest that the first quarter of the year is where the most divorces are started. January 2nd typically is termed “Divorce Day” Whilst the Office of National statistics show that there were 27,908 divorces commenced in England and...
The Government have recently released figures concerning the number of children who are now electively home educated as of the autumn term 2024/2025. Local authorities report that 111,700 children are in elective home education. This is an increase from an...
Transitioning to the next key stage of education is a daunting time for any child or their parents. However, for those children or young people with special educational needs and an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), this big step into the next phase of...
In light of the current wait times for a matter to proceed to a Hearing within the Tribunal, the Tribunal Procedure Committee have recently submitted a proposal to amend Rule 23 of the Tribunal Procedure (First-tier Tribunal) (Health Education and Social...
Contrary to myths in the special educational needs world and much misinformation rife amongst Local Authorities, there are strict deadlines governing the process of an Annual Review. If a Child or Young Person has the benefit of an EHCP, the...
HCB to Host A Free Question and Answer Session Regarding the Special Educational Needs System in England for Parents On 11 November 2024, between 7.30pm and 9pm Holly Blacklaws and Mark Glen of HCB Widdows Mason are teaming up with Chris Wade of Wade...
Recent reports have highlighted alarming failures in the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) process, which have contributed to tragic outcomes for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). A recent inquest in to the tragic death of...
As parents, you want the best for your child’s education, and sometimes decisions made a public body may seem unfair or contrary to your child’s needs. Whether it’s about school placements, support for special educational needs (SEN), or...
When the school is not the right fit; Navigating challenges for children with Special Educational Needs and associated Learning Difficulties Every child deserves an education that not only meets their unique needs but aids them to thrive within the...
Hundreds of Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs are Missing from Education You may have seen the news Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, has commissioned a report looking at the number of children who are out of or...
What is Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014? Section 41 of the Children and Families Act (S41 CFA) 2014 is a key piece of SEN law. It provides the Secretary of State for Education with authority to approve independent special and special...
B uckinghamshire County Council Informally Notifies Parent Forum it Will No Longer Provide Top-Up Funding for Pupils without an EHC Plan A Buckinghamshire parents’ forum has advised they have been informally notified by Buckinghamshire Council it...
Research brief.pdf (senedd.wales) A recent research brief published by the Senedd Cymru has highlighted the unforeseen consequences that have arisen due to the implementation of the Additional Learning Needs (ALN) Code for Wales 2021, which is currently...
As September 2024 approaches, many parents are preparing their children for the new school year. For parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), this period can be particularly challenging, especially when it comes to ensuring...
On 15th August 2024, students across the country who have taken A-Level examinations will be receiving their results. It will be a stressful day for many, especially because University offers for admission are often conditional upon receiving certain...
Following our article last month regarding the proposed removal of VAT exemption for private schools and the subsequent success of Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour party at the latest general election, the government has now published a technical consultation...
As the school year comes to an end, Department of Education latest figures report record numbers of school suspensions and exclusions in England for the academic year 2022/23. Persistent disruptive behaviour was the most commonly reported reason, accounting...
According to the UK Government website, in the academic year 2022/23, the Tribunal Service recorded 14,000 registered special educational needs appeals, highlighting the increasing number of appeals lodged with the SEND Tribunal, which has gone up by a...
Deciding between taking over an existing lease through an assignment or entering into a new lease is a significant decision for any tenant. Each option comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages and understanding these can help you to make an...
The County Councils Network (CCN) and the Local Government Association (LGA) recently commissioned a 166-page report exploring the need for fundamental reform of the SEND system in England; ‘Towards an effective and financially sustainable approach to...
The Children and Families Act 2014 (CFA 2014) is fundamental in governing Special Educational Needs (SEN) law in England. Some aspects of the CFA 2014 are widely known, for example the sections relating to EHCP’s. However, a lesser known, but still...
If your Child has Special Educational Needs, you may have made a request to your Local Authority for an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) or, you may already be in receipt of an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) which provides Special...
Each Local Authority has a legal duty to provide suitable education to all children of compulsory school age who are not able to access school.
As most will be aware by now, the UK will be heading to the polls on the 4th of July to vote in a general election, which many predict will see Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour party replace the Conservative party in Government. Labour’s proposal...
Councils in England forecast a shortfall of almost £1bn in school funding for supporting children with special needs: - A recent BBC Report into local authorities’ budgetary shortfall for supporting children with special needs has cast light on...
