Disagreement Resolution

Many disagreements can be sorted out by talking with the school, college, local authority, or for health services, the ICB (Integrated Care Board) previously known as the CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group).

Sometimes it can be difficult to reach agreement.

Local authorities must make disagreement resolution services available to parents and young people. Use of the disagreement resolution services is voluntary and has to be with the agreement of all parties. The service, while commissioned by it, must be independent of the local authority. No one who is directly employed by a local authority can provide disagreement resolution services.

Disagreement resolution is:

• free for parent carers and young people
• voluntary, but it must be agreed by everyone involved
• confidential
• independent of the local authority and the ICB (Integrated Care Board) previously known as the CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group).

Any parent of a child or any young person with SEND can use disagreement resolution, not just those with an EHC plan.

Disagreement resolution can help people to come to agreement about:

• how an early years setting (such as a nursery or pre-school), school, college or local authority is carrying out its education, health and care duties for a child with special educational needs.
• the support (provision) that the early years setting, school, or college is making for a child or young person. This applies to children and young people with any kind of SEN, not just those going through an EHC needs assessment or with an EHC plan.
• the health or social care support that is given
  • during an EHC needs assessment
  • while EHC plans are being drawn up or reviewed
  • while awaiting an appeal
  • when a child or young person is being reassessed

In these cases, the disagreement will be with the Local Authority or ICB (Integrated Care Board), rather than the early years setting, school, or college.

If you think that disagreement resolution is something you would like to use, contact KIDS SEND Mediation . They are an independent service that will provide a trained mediator to facilitate a discussion. The purpose is to look for a way forward that all the parties accept. The service is free and confidential. You can choose whether to use it. 

You can read more about this on the Local Offer for Southend on Sea.