In addition to the pre-booked appointments on our Advice Line and Tribunal Helpline, we offer a free* call-in helpline every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday providing legally-based advice and support. 

If you’re thinking of getting in touch with this service, please take some time to read the information on this page to learn more about how we can support you. 

Who is our call-in helpline for? 

Our call-in helpline is for parents, carers and family members of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and for young people with SEND who would like our support. The helpline provides next-step guidance for families and young people navigating a current SEND issue. General queries are often best addressed through our online guides and resources, which cover a wide range of SEND topics and frequently asked questions.  

If you are receiving ongoing support from solicitor or other advocate then regrettably IPSEA is unable to give you advice. This is to avoid the potential for conflicting advice, and to ensure our helpline is available for parents not receiving any other support.

Our advice relates to the law as it applies in England.  

This helpline is not suitable for professionals requiring advice (please see our training pages detailing our training for professionals).  

How can our call-in helpline support you? 

Our volunteer advisers can give you free and independent next-step legal information, advice and support on any educational issue that is a result of a child or young person’s SEND. To ensure we support you in the best way possible, our advisers focus on actionable guidance to help you take the next steps regarding your current situation. 

Some examples of issues we advise families about include: 

• SEN support at school 
• Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessments
• EHC plans
• Annual reviews
• Exclusions
• Appeals to the SEND Tribunal

Preparing for your call 

Demand for our call-in helpline is likely to be very high, so you may have to wait to speak to one of our volunteer advisers. If your call has not been answered after 5 minutes, the call will be ended, and we ask you to please try calling again later in the day.  

To prepare for your call, we recommend: 

• Making a note of the issues you’re currently facing, focusing on areas where you need actionable next-step advice
• Finding a quiet place where you can talk, if possible 
• Having a pen and paper to hand to make notes 
• Having a device available during your call where you can access our website – our volunteer adviser may talk you through where to find our online legal guides and resources for additional information 
• Setting aside up to 45 minutes for your call 

During your helpline call, our volunteer adviser will ask you for personal information about you and the child/young person your call is regarding. Full details about how we use this information can be found in our privacy policy.  

Contacting the helpline 

0300 222 5899

Open:

• Tuesdays, 9.30am – 2.30pm
• Wednesdays, 9.30am – 2.30pm 
• Thursdays, 9.30am – 2.30pm 

*Charged at a local rate. Mobile numbers may vary.

Privacy policy and data protection 

Please be aware that helpline calls are recorded for monitoring and training purposes, and any details or notes that are recorded will never be passed on to a third party and are kept completely confidential. 

At the start of your helpline call, our volunteer adviser will ask you for personal information about you and the child/young person your call is regarding. If you do not wish to answer any or all of the questions asked by our adviser, you do not have to do so, but without this information we may not be able to advise you.   

The information captured also helps us to identify gaps in our service provision, make improvements, and ensure that services are delivered in a fair way to all users. The information you provide will be kept confidential, and we will not share your name or personal information with anyone else. 

By using IPSEA’s call-in service, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and also our privacy policy.  

IPSEA volunteers frequently receive offers of gifts in thanks for their advice. Whilst this is much appreciated, our volunteers are unable to accept.  If you would like to offer a gesture of appreciation, a donation to IPSEA would be gratefully received. 

The advice and support we offer is free and confidential, and ensures that families understand their children’s legal rights and entitlements – but we cannot deliver these important services without fundraising efforts and donations from members of the public. 

If you would like to support our work, you can make a donation here.