We've been debating all the merits and otherwise of the SEND Review Green Paper for some time now. But what are the legal implications?
We know that some of the proposals will require legislative changes, should they go on to become part of a Bill. But what Bill? What legislation?
We, and many others, have serious reservations about some of the proposals under consultation. So we thought it would be a very good thing to consult some of the foremost SEND legal minds and put your questions to them.
Who's on the Roundtable?
We work and communicate with many fine solicitors and barristers who are expert in SEND. If we could, we would invite them all to participate in this webinar, but we settled on the five who are the most known to us, in various capacities. They are, in alphabetic order:
- Steve Broach, Barrister, 39 Essex St Chambers;
- Ali Fiddy, CEO, IPSEA;
- Rukhsana Koser, Partner, Langley Wellington, Education Lawyers;
- Hayley Mason, Senior Solicitor & Director, SEN Legal Ltd;
- Eleanor Wright, CEO, SOSSEN.
About our legal experts
Steve Broach is a barrister in public law and is well known to every reader of SNJ. Steve has written on multiple occasions about legal issues for us. He has particular interest and expertise in health, education and social care, with a focus on disability and children’s rights cases.
Steve's background is in policy and campaigning work with and for disabled children and adults and their families. Many of his cases involve the intersection between law, policy and politics. Steve is co-author of Disabled Children: A Legal Handbook (Legal Action Group, Second Edition, 2016) and Children in Need: Local Authority Support for Children and Families (Legal Action Group, Second Edition, 2013).
Hayley Mason is director and senior solicitor of SEN Legal Ltd; a highly successful education and disability law firm with a nationwide client base. She is also SNJ's legal columnist and has helped us unpick SEN legal issues many times. Principally based in Suffolk but often travelling nationally, she has a vast range of expertise and has represented hundreds of families at the SEND Tribunal.
Hayley is also specialised in Court of Protection work and regularly lectures in this area. She has also contributed a chapter on Deputyship to 'Special Educational Needs and Legal Entitlement: getting out of the maze', 2nd edition
Rukhsana Koser is a Partner at Langley Wellington Solicitors LLP. She runs their dedicated Education Law department & previously also specialised in Civil Litigation, Personal Injury Law and Employment Law. Rukhsana gained valuable insight into the workings of an LA, having once worked as an LA Diversity Officer advising on meeting legal equality duties.
Rukhsana specialises in Special Educational Needs and appeals to the SEND Tribunal. She is also fluent in Urdu and is a sibling to a severely disabled sister.
Ali Fiddy is CEO and responsible for the day-to-day running of SEND legal charity, IPSEA, and the implementation of the organisation’s strategic plan.
She is a qualified solicitor with extensive casework and policy experience in the fields of education, community care, mental health and public law, and she has spent many years working as a senior manager in the not-for-profit sector.
Ali recently spoke passionately about her reservations about the Green Paper to the Education Select Committee
Eleanor Wright is CEO of SEND legal charity, SOSSEN. She is a solicitor who has been specialising in Education Law for over 20 years, especially cases involving SEND and social care issues.
Eleanor was previously a partner at Maxwell Gillott. Eleanor has been a school governor for over 20 years, has a long involvement with the Dyslexia Association and experience of sitting on and chairing school admissions and exclusion panels. She has been involved in a number of advice centres, workshops and training sessions with SOS!SEN for many years.
Details for the SNJ Legal Roundtable
Date: Thursday 16th June 2022
Time: 7:30pm-9pm
Cost: Free, but with an optional donation, only if you can afford it. Donations received will be split between SNJ, IPSEA and SOSSEN.
Join Special Needs Jungle and our special guests in discussing the legal implications of the SnEND Review Green paper.
We have 500 places, which we hope should be more than enough for everyone who wants to and is able to join the live event. There will be a recording uploaded as soon as possible afterwards.
Because there will likely be so many attendees, it will be impractical to have a free-for-all on questions during the event. Therefore we ask you to submit your questions after registration. Submit your question to the panel after registration.
Register here
Use this link or the button below to register.
Also read:
- The SEND Review was published on Tuesday 29th March 2022. The consultation closed on July 22nd
- There is a dedicated website with alternative versions, languages and formats here
- The Green Paper is a DISCUSSION document, split into six chapters, with 22 consultation questions.
- See a list of all SNJ's posts on the SEND Review, including our analysis articles.
- Alternative versions of the consultation document: Large print PDF version | Order a copy | Easy read version | British Sign Language (BSL) version | Guide for children and young people
- Can you help support our work?
Tania is an experienced broadcast and print journalist & author. She also runs a PR, web & social media consultancy, SocialOro Media.
Tania is a rare disease & chronic pain patient advocate with Ehlers Danlos syndrome.
- Dame Christine Lenehan: a career advocating for disabled children’s rights - September 27, 2023
- SEND Minister denies the Government is aiming to cut EHCPs by 20% with an emphatic, but unconvincing, explanation - September 22, 2023
- A new SEND minister NOW? Disabled children deserve better than to be a government testing ground for ambitious MPs - August 31, 2023
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