Meetings & Professionals
Families navigating in the UK often attend many meetings — with school, the local authority, services and the local council. They can feel intimidating, but a little preparation goes a long way.
Who you might meet
- — Special Educational Needs Coordinator at school
- Class teacher / tutor / head of year
- Educational Psychologist () — assesses learning and behaviour
- Speech and Language Therapist (SaLT) and Occupational Therapist ()
- Paediatrician, clinician,
- Local Authority caseworker — manages needs assessments and plans
- Early Help / Social Worker — for family support or safeguarding
- IAS / adviser — free, impartial information and advice
- Advocate or supporter — friend, family member or trained advocate
Before the meeting
- Ask who will be there, how long it will last, and what will be decided
- Ask for any reports at least 5 working days in advance
- Write down your top 3 points — needs, what''s working, what''s not
- Bring evidence: examples, photos, diary entries, behaviour logs
- Take someone with you — two sets of ears is always better
During the meeting
- It''s okay to ask for plain English — "Please can you explain that without the acronym?"
- Take notes (or ask permission to record)
- Check actions: Who is doing what, by when?
- Don''t feel rushed into agreeing — "I''d like to think about that and come back to you" is fine
After the meeting
- Ask for written minutes or a summary
- Follow up by email to confirm agreed actions
- If decisions don''t happen, chase politely in writing
If things go wrong
- Use the school''s Information Report and complaints procedure
- Contact your local for free advice
- For disputes ( refusals, content, placement) you can use mediation and the Tribunal
- and SOS! offer free expert legal information
Your rights
You are an equal partner in decisions about your child. Professionals bring expertise about systems and conditions — you bring expertise about your child.