Join us! We are recruiting for a full time education solicitor (minimum 2 years PQE) for a fixed 12 month contract. Apply by 5pm on 8 April 2026 - further details here: rookirwinsweeney.co.uk/careers/
SEND reforms consultation: we have received a response from the Secretary of State for Education on our client’s letter before claim - our Polly Sweeney provides an update in the Law Society Gazette here www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/plan-to... #education #SEND
Who are your legal aid heroes? Nominate them NOW for a #LALY26 award. We recognise not just solicitors and barristers but case workers, paralegals, legal execs, and (drum roll 🥁) support staff, often the true unsung heroes of social justice. Deadline 21 April 🗓️
lapg.co.uk/laly-awards/...
We are in the Court of Appeal today challenging Devon County Council's closure of 'vital' mental health drop in services. @ris-law.bsky.social's Rosie Campbell and @anne-marieirwin.bsky.social and @stevebroach.bsky.social and Eleanor Leydon, both of @39essexchambers.bsky.social, are instructed. 1/2
The number of SEND complaints upheld by the councils watchdog has leapt by a quarter in one year
In 2025, the Local Government Ombudsman upheld 1,315 SEND complaints, up 26% on 2024, and more than five times the 236 upheld in 2021
By me, for Schools Week: schoolsweek.co.uk/upheld-send-...
REGISTER NOW! SNJ’s Schools White Paper SEND Legal Roundtable with @stevebroach.bsky.social Hayley Mason-Seager, IPSEA & SOS!SEN:
www.specialneedsjungle.com/r...
Pleased to be supporting the brilliant team @ris-law.bsky.social with this important case, challenging the lawfulness of the recently launched SEND consultation on fairness and rationality grounds
Also, competence is binary
We're delighted to partner with @publiclawproject.bsky.social & @39essexchambers.bsky.social on this training based on our book 'Making Lawful Decisions' by @stevebroach.bsky.social and @torbc.bsky.social.
Book now to secure your place & receive a discount on the book: shorturl.pulse.ly/mltceu8krj
Interested to see what part of the EHCP process Ministers may think we don’t need - is it the part where:
- we identify all the child’s special educational needs?
- we specify the provision reasonably required to meet those needs?
- the child gets the right to attend a suitable school?
#SEND
The parallels with Man Utd are striking
Both Jen and Katie are richly deserving of their place in the #LALY25 final, I’ll be there cheering them on
Well deserved Anisha 👌
We were recently instructed in a proposed #JudicialReview to Kent County Council’s “Special Schools Review” (a proposal to redesignate 7 special schools). Following pre-action correspondence sent on behalf of affected families, Kent has agreed not to take any steps to implement the decision. [1/2]
That combo is practically a criminal offence
Haven’t you heard - tomorrow’s walking football is shirts v skins
An excellent piece from @johnharris1969.bsky.social in The @newstatesman.com on his family's SEND struggles. High praise for SNJ's "battle-hardened SEND veterans" ”Don’t take away children’s rights, because if you do, you'll have a hell of a fight on your hands.” www.newstatesman.com/politic...
I don’t think it’s a bad idea to bring NHSE’s functions back directly under the Sec of State - but when I think about the amount of secondary legislation and guidance that refers to NHSE, the task of fixing that isn’t one that strikes me as simple
2014 Act didn’t radically change the previous regime - just extended entitlements to 25 (quite a big deal) and brought health and social care into the single statutory plan (not that big a deal in practice but need longer to explain why). So ‘solving’ SEND will be much tougher than scrapping NHSE
If the objective were to create work for lawyers, this would be an excellent idea.
The real problem here must be that interventions lacking in evidence should never be in section F of an EHCP as they are not reasonably required
BABICM's poster promoting their free webinar on 'Navigating Nutritional Pitfalls: Capacity, Choices and Health Impacts' taking place on 18 March between 12-1pm.
@ris-law.bsky.social's Alex Rook and Rosie Campbell are delivering a free webinar on behalf of @babicmorg.bsky.social on 18 March between 12pm-1pm during #NutritionandHydrationWeek, exploring the complex issue of capacity to make informed choices about diet #mentalcapacity 1/2
ALLFIE’s Inclusive Education Conference 2024 was a memorable event!
Marking 10 years of the Children and Families Act, @stevebroach.bsky.social explained how Disabled people and families can advocate for mainstream education using the Act.
Watch on playback:
youtu.be/BNXhvwxaMdc?...
🧵2/12
Important JR hearing this week on the lawfulness of SEND ‘safety valve’ agreements entered into by Bristol and Devon councils. I act for the Bristol claimant and one Devon claimant with Alice Irving and Watkins solicitors, @ris-law.bsky.social team for the second Devon claimant
Webinar incoming - details to follow…
This settlement emphasises the need for decisions made by local authorities in the child protection context to respect human rights
www.39essex.com/information-...
📣FREE event: Learn about the United Nation Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), @stevebroach.bsky.social discrimination specialist lawyer will be speaking about why the CRPD should be UK law.
gmcdp.com/civicrm/even...
If you’re not already engaged on 22 October, where you want to be is with Legal Action Group, @39essexchambers.bsky.social myself and a cast of stellar legal talent at our Community Care Conference - info and ticket link here
www.lag.org.uk/events/ticke...
Concerning judgment - private facility depriving mental health patient of his liberty not exercising public functions, so Human Rights Act did not apply. Apparently no argument that given Care Act s73, all public funded care must come within HRA to avoid Art 14 breach
bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/…
Would be great if this was a day celebrating all the different types of pulse-based curry
Salt Bae would improve the PMB Ballot imho
