Scope of Services and Professional Boundaries Policy

1. Purpose of This Policy

This policy defines the scope of services, professional role, and boundaries of practice for The SENDNest. It is intended to provide clarity and transparency for: Parents and carers, Children and young people, Schools and education settings, Local authorities and partner professionals. This policy ensures that services are delivered ethically, lawfully, and in line with UK SEND frameworks.

2. The Role of The SENDNest

The SENDNest is a UK-based SEND advocacy and consultancy service providing specialist advice, including legally informed SEND advocacy/advice and procedural guidance, and practical support across the full spectrum of special educational needs and disabilities. The SENDNest works with families, schools, and education professionals to support understanding of SEND rights, statutory processes, and evidence-based practice, including where decision-making is complex or contested. Our work is grounded in: The needs-led approach outlined in the SEND Code of Practice (England, 2015) Child-centred, trauma-aware practice, Lawful, evidence-informed SEND procedures,Ethical advocacy and informed challenge. The SENDNest supports families and schools to understand, navigate, and evidence SEND need, particularly where systems are complex or contested.

3. Scope of Services Provided

The SENDNest may provide support in the following areas.

3.1 Advocacy and SEND Advice

SEND Advocacy and advice for parents and carers,

Legally informed advice on SEND legislation, statutory duties, and lawful process

Support in preparing for meetings and reviews,

Support in challenging local authority decisions.

Guidance on challenge, escalation, mediation, and complaint processes.

Support with SEND decision-making and documentation.

3.2 EHCP Support

Advice and guidance on EHCP applications

Support in preparing and structuring evidence

Reviewing draft EHCPs and amendments

Supporting Annual Reviews and phase transfers

Advising on provision, outcomes, and specificity

Supporting preparation for tribunal processes

Advocacy support is provided in a way that empowers families to engage confidently and lawfully with education systems.

The SENDNest may support families and schools to understand tribunal procedures and expectations, including evidence preparation and case structure.

3.3 Tribunal Preparation Support

The SENDNest may:

Support families to understand tribunal processes

Assist with organising and reviewing evidence

Help identify strengths and gaps in documentation

Support preparation for hearings,

This support is legally informed and evidence-focused but does not include formal legal representation or the conduct of reserved legal activities.

The SENDNest does not provide legal representation and does not act as a solicitor or barrister.

The SENDNest may act as a SEND advocate in preparation for tribunal processes, supporting families to understand procedures, organise evidence, and present their case clearly.

This advocacy support is legally informed but does not include acting as a solicitor or barrister or undertaking reserved legal activities.

3.4 School-Focused SEND Consultancy

SEN systems review and development

Support with SEN Support and graduated response

Advice on reasonable adjustments

Support with EHCP evidence gathering

Professional guidance for SENCOs and school leaders

Staff training and SEND capacity-building

3.5 Non-Diagnostic Screening and Reports

Needs-led Autism and ADHD screeners

Functional impact reports

School-support documentation

All screeners are non-clinical and non-diagnostic.

4. What The SENDNest Does Not Provide

The SENDNest does not:

Diagnose medical or mental health conditions

Provide medical, psychological, or psychiatric assessments

Act as a solicitor, barrister, or regulated legal practice

Provide reserved legal services.

Provide legal representation in the capacity of a regulated legal professional

Act as a barrister, solicitor, or regulated legal practice

Guarantee outcomes relating to EHCPs, tribunals, or assessments

Make statutory decisions on behalf of schools or local authorities

The SENDNest does provide legally informed SEND advice, grounded in:

UK SEND legislation

Statutory guidance

Case law principles

Lawful process and procedural fairness

Advice is provided within the scope of SEND advocacy and consultancy and does not constitute reserved legal activity. The SENDNest advice is informed by recognised SEND law training, including SEND Law Level 3 training delivered by Independent Provider of Special Education Advice, and is provided within appropriate professional and ethical boundaries.

5. Professional Boundaries in Advocacy Work

The SENDNest provides legally informed SEND advocacy and guidance, delivered within appropriate professional and legal boundaries. Advocacy support may include representing families in meetings and supporting them to engage with SEND processes. The SENDNest does not undertake reserved legal activities or act as a regulated legal professional.

This means:

Families remain decision-makers in their own cases,

Schools retain statutory responsibility for provision,

Local authorities retain decision-making duties,

Tribunal panels remain independent decision-makers.

The SENDNest supports clarity, preparation, and evidence-led challenge but does not control outcomes.

6. Boundaries in Relation to Schools and Local Authorities

The SENDNest:

Works collaboratively wherever possible,

Supports lawful challenge where necessary,

Respects professional roles and responsibilities,

Does not instruct schools or local authorities.

All advice is framed to support informed decision-making rather than directive action including advice grounded in SEND legislation, statutory guidance, and case law principles, delivered within appropriate professional boundaries.

7. Boundaries in Relation to Examinations and Access Arrangements

Any SENDNest reports or guidance:

Cannot be used as sole evidence for exam access arrangements

Must be considered alongside school-based evidence

Do not replace regulatory requirements

Final decisions remain the responsibility of the school and must align with JCQ guidance.

8. Ethical Practice and Safeguards

The SENDNest is committed to:

Ethical SEND advocacy

Accurate and responsible communication

Non-alarmist practice

Trauma-aware engagement

Avoiding false guarantees or fear-based escalation

Our work aims to empower families and professionals, not create dependency.

9. Review and Updates

This policy is reviewed regularly to ensure: Alignment with current SEND guidance, Accuracy of scope and boundaries and Ongoing ethical compliance.