All children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have a legal right to an education that meets their individual needs. But many tens of thousands of children and young people with SEND are not getting the support they are legally entitled to.
At IPSEA, we are here to change that.
We are the leading charity in the field of SEND law in England, and we provide free and independent legal advice and support to families of children and young people with SEND. We also provide training on the SEND legal framework, and we influence policy at both a local and national level.
If you would like to help raise awareness of IPSEA's work, you can download and share our 'About us' poster using the link below.
Outside of the SEND sector, the assumption is that all children receive a suitable education, but this is simply not the case. Although there is a sound legal framework in place for supporting children and young people with SEND, it is frequently not complied with. The SEND system is littered with unlawful decision-making, and parents and carers turn to us because they are told that their child can’t have the support they need.
That is why our work at IPSEA – advising and empowering families, providing free casework support and ensuring that the rights of children and young people with SEND are upheld – is absolutely critical.
We offer a unique range of services to help children and young people with SEND get the education they are entitled to by law:
Use our free legal guides to learn about the law and how to enforce the rights of children and young people with SEND. Whether you need information on SEN Support or EHC plans, exclusions or appeals, we have resources for every topic.
Parents and carers can use our Email Information Service for general legal enquiries and signposting to guidance on our website. Submit a request, and we’ll get back to you within five working days.
Parents/carers can get free and independent legal advice from our volunteers on any educational issue related to their child’s SEND. Contact our Call-in Helpline on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, or book an appointment on our Advice Line or Tribunal Helpline.
For families needing extra assistance to make an appeal or claim, our trained volunteers provide free individual casework support and advocacy. Access to this specialised service is available via our Tribunal Helpline.
Increase your knowledge and understanding of the SEND legal framework with our training courses. We deliver training to parents, carers, school staff, parent carer forums, local authorities and other organisations working in the field of SEND.
Using the information and evidence captured through our advice services and training, we influence policy at both a local and national level. We are instrumental in shaping law and policy in the field of special educational needs and disability.
Our strategy sets out how we will strengthen our work from 2026-2030 – empowering families, improving understanding of the law and driving change so that legal rights are protected, applied and enforced Read more
Find out how our work is making a difference for children and young people with SEND and their families Read more
Explore our work and achievements with our timeline highlighting significant events in our 40-year history Read more