If you are unhappy with an aspect of support regarding your child’s special educational needs (SEN), there are a number of things you can do.
If you are unhappy about the support your child is receiving at school
In the first instance, contact your child’s teacher, Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator or the Headteacher. Please see SEN Support for information about what steps to take if you are concerned your child may have a special educational need or requires extra support at school.
If your child is already receiving SEN Support at school
If you feel your child requires additional support despite having an SEN Support Plan, you can request a statutory Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment for your child.
If your child already has a statutory Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan
You can contact the Statutory Special Educational Needs team or your child’s SEND Practitioner directly.
How to make a complaint
Before making a complaint, you should consider speaking with the particular service or provider in the first instance. This often can be the quickest way to resolving your concerns.
If you would like to make a formal complaint relating to Bath and North East Somerset Council services please follow their online complaints procedure.
Making a complaint about early years, school or college provision
Please contact your child’s early years setting, school or College directly regarding their complaints procedure.
Making a complaint to Bath and North East Somerset Council
To make a complaint about Children’s Services please see Complaints about Children’s Services
When making a complaint
- You should put your complaint in writing, clearly marking your letter or email using the word ‘complaint’
- Be clear about the specific issues
- Be aware that different services have different procedures and timescales for responding to your complaint.
Disagreement Resolution
Disagreement resolution service is an independent service that will provide a trained mediator to facilitate a discussion. The purpose is to look for a way forward that all parties agree to. The service is free and confidential.
Local authorities must make a disagreement resolution service available to parents and young people, is voluntary and must be with the agreement of all parties. In Bath and North East Somerset, Global Meditation facilitates the Disagreement Resolution Process.
You can find out more about when the disagreement resolution service can be used in “What If I do not agree with decisions about SEN Provision Factsheet” shared by Sendias Bathnes.
Mediation and Appeals
Mediation is a type of disagreement resolution for disagreements that can be appealed to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal. In Bath and North East Somerset, Global Meditation can be used to facilitate the mediation. This service is free and confidential. However, parents and young people can chose to use any mediation service.
You can find out more about when the disagreement resolution service can be used in “What If I do not agree with decisions about SEN Provision Factsheet” shared by Sendias Bathnes.
Appeals to the SEND Tribunal
The SEND Tribunal - Extended Appeals process now represents a single route of redress for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities who also have health and social care needs. Find out more on the SEND Tribunal: Extended Appeals information page.
Contact information
If you wish to raise concerns with your child’s school, please contact the school directly.
If your child has an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan, you can contact their SEND Practitioner or the Statutory Special Educational Needs Team.
For information about meditation, please visit our Global Mediation page