Being a SENDCo fulfils a very important role in any school. For any individual, it can be both rewarding and challenging.

SENDCos provide essential support to the children who need it most. They are often dedicated, persistent and relentless in their pursuit of supporting children with SEND, working hard to ensure they receive the right provision, support, and specialist help.

However, they face significant challenges in fulfilling their role. They must meet a diverse range of special educational needs, are often working under constrained budgets and usually have limited resources available to them. In addition, SENDCOs are regularly assigned to additional schools, increasing the demands on them and dividing their time. They can have teaching responsibility too, leading to situations where SENDCos don’t have sufficient time to fulfil their SENDCo role.

A SENDCo also faces a significant amount of paperwork, which usually involves completing forms and preparing documents that are a part of a legal process or involve legal considerations that a SENDCo should not be expected to be completely au fait with. For example, making a request for an EHC needs assessment is part of the EHC needs assessment process set out in the Children and Families Act 2014, the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014 and the SEND Code of Practice.

The relentless level of paperwork and the expectation that a SENDCo understands the legalities connected to EHCPs and the EHC needs assessment process can be a significant frustration. As can the lack of time available to a SENDCo to complete all the jobs expected of them. Normally for SENDCos, their work does not stop at school, it continues at home.

SENDCo support Quickcall retainer

Birkett Long’s Education Team’s SENDCo support Quickcall retainers have been created to support SENDCo’s in their role, by providing access to a legally qualified solicitor by telephone to provide legal advice and assistance with all things funding and SEND law, including but not limited to:

• dealing with insufficient SEND/EHCP funding
• strategies to secure funding from your local authority
• making requests for EHC needs assessments
• annual reviews, including advice on legal deadlines
• the EHC needs assessment process, including advice on the statutory EHC needs assessment timeline and deadlines, and guidance on strategies to ensure your local authority sticks to the deadlines
• dealing with consultations and challenging local authority decisions to name your school in an EHCP if appropriate
• mediation support
• EHCPs, including how to make them reflect need and ensure they are properly written (particularly Section F in relation to provision)
• providing evidence at the SEND Tribunal
• challenging your local authority where appropriate
• school transport rights

Gold retainer service

The SENDCo support Quickcall Gold retainer service is offered at a fixed fee of £1,500 plus VAT (totalling £1,800) and includes:

1. Up to 12 hours’ telephone advice per year; and
2. Discounted cost estimates for written advice and reviews of SEND law related policies, correspondence and documentation.

Silver retainer service

The SENDCO support Quickcall Silver retainer service is offered at a fixed fee of £750 plus VAT (totalling £900) and includes:

1. Up to 5 hours’ telephone advice per year; and
2. Discounted cost estimates for written advice and reviews of SEND law related policies, correspondence and documentation.

If you would like more information or would like to discuss how we can support you, please contact our Head of Education Thomas Emmett on 07850 501016 or email thomas.emmett@birkettlong.co.uk.