Advice lines
Education Rights Service
The National Autistic Society's Education Rights Service (formally the Advocacy for Education Service) provides advice to parents in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Tel: 0808 800 4102
Email: advocacy@nas.org.uk
The Advisory Centre for Education (ACE)
The Advisory Centre for Education is an independent advice centre for parents, offering information about state education in England and Wales for five to 16 year olds. We offer free telephone advice on many topics like exclusion from school, bullying, special educational needs and school admission appeals.
General advice line: 0808 800 5793
Exclusion helpline: 020 7704 9822
Autism London
Autism London exists to provide impartial support, advice and information to those affected by autism living in Greater London.
General advice line: 020 7359 6070
Independent Panel for Special Education Advice (IPSEA)
General advice line: 0800 018 4016
Tribunal service: 01394 384 711
General enquiries: 01394 380 518
Website: www.ipsea.org.uk/sevenfixes.htm
Their website also provides model letters (seven common SEN problems and what you can do).
Enquire Scotland
Tel: 0845 123 2303
Govan Law Centre
Tel: 0141 445 1955
SENAC (Special Educational Needs Advice Centre) Northern Ireland
Free, independent advice, information and advocacy on the statutory framework of Special Educational Needs provision in Northern Ireland.
Advice line: 028 9079 5779
Office enquiries: 028 9070 5654
SOSSEN
A free, friendly and confidential nationwide helpline for parents and others seeking clarification, help and advice in the world of Special Educational Needs.
Autism organisations
Parents for the early intervention of autism in children (PEACH)
A charity established to promote early behavioural intervention for young children with autism, Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA), often referred to as the Lovaas Programme.
Tel: 01344 882248
Home education
Education Otherwise
A UK-based membership organisation, which provides support and information for families whose children are being educated outside school, and for those who wish to uphold the freedom of families to take proper responsibility for the education of their children.
Helpline: 0845 478 6345
Home Education Advisory Service (HEAS)
A national home education charity based in the United Kingdom. It is dedicated to the provision of advice and practical support for families who wish to educate their children at home in preference to sending them to school. HEAS offers information for home educators including advice about educational materials, resources, GCSE examinations, special educational needs, information technology, legal matters and curriculum design.
Home Education in the UK Special Needs
Group of families who home educate children with Special Educational Needs.
Nisai Group
The Nisai Group provides live, online teaching to young people who are unable to attend college. The service is used by a number of people with autism and Asperger syndrome.
Post-16 education
SKILL
National Bureau for Students With Disabilities. Skill is a national charity promoting opportunities for young people and adults with any kind of disability in post-16 education, training and employment across the UK.
Helpline: 0800 328 5050
Legal help
The Children's Legal Centre
The Children's Legal Centre is a unique, independent national charity concerned with law and policy affecting children and young people. The Children's Legal Centre has many years of experience in providing legal advice and representation to children, their carers and professionals throughout the UK.
Tel: 01206 874 807
Education Law Association
An umbrella group for training and dissemination of education law. It cannot provide legal advice, but may be able to provide you with the name of a solicitor experienced in education in your area.
Tel: 01303 211 570
Law Centres Federation
Co-ordinating body of a national network of law centres. Publishes a list of law centres, free, and What is a law centre?, free. For local law centres, see local telephone directory.
Tel: 020 7387 8570
The Law Society
Publishes Legal Aid Solicitors List covering England and Wales, listing solicitors who do legal aid work, other sources of legal advice (citizens advice bureaux, legal advice and law centres) and giving basic details about legal aid. These booklets, which are updated annually, should be available in advice agencies and libraries.
Tel: 020 7242 1222
Disability Law Service
The disability law service is made up of solicitors, advisors and trained volunteers who provide up to date, informed legal advice for disabled people, their families, enablers and carers. The advice we give is free, and the service offers complete confidentiality.
Tel: 020 7791 9800
Bar Pro Bono Unit
Established to provide free advice and representation in deserving cases where Legal Aid is not available, or where the applicant is unable to afford legal assistance.
Tel: 020 7831 9711
Legal Services Commission
The Legal Services Commission is an executive non-departmental public body created under the Access to Justice Act 1999 to replace the Legal Aid Board. It is responsible for the development and administration of two schemes in England and Wales: Community Legal Advice and the Criminal Defence Service.
Tel: 0845 608 1122
Government departments
Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF)
Enquiries: 0870 000 2288
The Parent Centre
The Parent Centre is for all parents and carers who want to help their child or children to learn. It is here to offer you support, information and advice about your child's learning and the English education system.
Special Educational Needs and Disability
This site aims to provide a wide range of special education needs advice and materials for teachers, parents and others working with children with in England. There are three distinct areas of the site tailored to parents and carers, schools and SEN governors and teachers, professionals and learning assistants.
Government legislation
The site includes the full text of all legislation enacted by the UK Parliament and delegated legislation (Statutory Instruments) whether this applied to the United Kingdom as a whole or only to constituent parts of the UK (eg Scotland).
National Curriculum Online
This site links every National Curriculum programme of study requirement to resources on the Curriculum Online.
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA)
QCA maintains and develops the national curriculum and associated assessments, tests and examinations; and accredits and monitors qualifications in colleges and at work.
Special needs tribunal
Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (England)
It considers parents' appeals against the decisions of local education authorities (LEAs) in England about childrens special educational needs. The Tribunal is independent and has no connection with any LEA. SENDIST also consider parents' claims of disability discrimination in schools in England.
SEN helpline: 0870 241 2555
Discrimination helpline: 0870 606 5750
Special Educational Needs Tribunal (Wales)
Parents in Wales whose children have special educational needs can appeal to the Special Educational Needs Tribunal for Wales (SENTW) against decisions made by local education authorities (LEAs) in Wales about their children's education. SENTW also consider parents' claims of disability discrimination in schools in Wales. The Tribunal is independent of both central and local Government.
Helpline: 01597 829 800