As a young person under the Children and Families Act 2014, you have more say about your education and your parents get less say but your parents or other family members can still help you in any way you want or need them to. This could be help in making decisions or speaking with the local authority (LA) or other people.

You can also get support from your local Information, Advice and Support Service.

Your LA might also have an advocacy service you could get help from. Advocates are independent. They don’t give you advice about what to do but can help make sure you understand your rights and can tell people what you want.

You are expected to stay in education or training until you are 18 (see here for more information). Remember though, you can get help with your special educational needs until you are 25 (in some cases until the end of the academic year after your 25th birthday).

The local authority must:

• listen to and respect your views, wishes and feelings
• support you to be fully involved in decisions about your education.

We have information about the help your school or college can give you and, if you are not happy with it, then you can speak with the school or college and we have information about complaining here.

We also have information about the help your LA must provide and what to do if there’s a problem with that help:

• Taking action when things go wrong - LA
• Taking action when things go wrong with an EHC plan 

We have some more information for young people with special educational needs here:

• Getting extra help: FAQs
• Transport arrangements for young people
• Annual reviews in Year 9 or beyond and please see our annual review checklist.

If there is a disagreement between you and your school or college, or with the local authority or health service, you may want to read the young people’s guide to Special Educational Needs and Disability complaints entitled “When People Can’t Agree”.