There has been a significant rise in advocates providing paid services for parents of children with special educational needs. Many parents are finding themselves desperately seeking guidance and support with the current complex legal framework. There is no regulation for advocacy services

The free statutory Information and Advice Services (IAS) that are provided by Local Authorities vary greatly in the level of support they are able to provide. With many having services cut. We feel both IAS services & registered charities are unable to cope with the colossal amount of parents needing legal advice. This means many parents are unable to access reputable free support. Any service providing advice around legal frameworks must be regulated to ensure parents are protected & not taken advantage off.