KIDS SEND Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Service - Money, housing and legal services

Resolving disagreements for children and young people with SEND

Parents said:

"We wanted to thank you so very much for all your help, both before today's mediation meeting and at the meeting itself. I was terrified about the whole thing, because it was so important to us not to let our son down and to get him the help he so desperately needs and wants. Thank you for putting us at ease and guiding us through everything and in particular helping to tie everything together with the written agreement, action plans and dates"

KIDS Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Mediation Service helps parents and young people resolve disputes about Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessments and Plans, as well as other SEND related issues. We have a team of specialist and fully accredited SEND mediators with many years of experience.

Our service is free of charge. It is for children and young people with SEND (or who may have SEND) age 0 to 25 and their families. Disagreements are usually with the local authority (LA) and sometimes with the school or college. Health and Social Services can also be involved.

Parents and young people can use mediation before making an appeal to the SEND Tribunal. Mediation is very successful (around 85% of mediations meetings result in an agreement). This means you may not have to go through the long tribunal process. If you are not happy with the outcome of mediation, you can still make a tribunal appeal.

How does Mediation work?

• mediation is quick and informal and there is little paperwork
• the mediation meeting takes place somewhere near you and usually within about a month of your request. Most mediation meetings are done online rather than face-to-face, for example using Teams or Zoom. The mediator will help you prepare for this
• your caseworker and your mediator help you prepare for the meeting from start to finish and they will answer any questions and concerns you may have
• there is just one mediation meeting and it takes around 2 hours with as many breaks as you need. You can bring a supporter
• mediators are impartial. That means they do not take sides or tell you what to decide
• the mediator manages the meeting and makes sure that everybody's voice is heard and that the focus remains on the needs of the child or young person
• the mediator ensures that everybody works together to find solutions that are in the interest of the child or young person
• at the end of the meeting the mediator helps put the agreements reached in writing. The mediation agreement is agreed by all present and a copy given to everybody

Kids SEND mediation youtube video.

mediationlondon@kids.org.uk

www.kids.org.uk/send-mediation

Open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.