Fighting for your Child - A Parent/Carer's Guide to EHCP Tribunals

FIGHTING FOR YOUR CHILD (2026)
A Parent's Plain-English Guide to EHCP Tribunals
by Jennifer Brown

When the system meant to support your child says no, what happens next can feel overwhelming, isolating, and deeply unfair.

EHCP tribunals are not something parents choose lightly. They arrive after months or years of unmet needs, confusing decisions, and exhausting attempts to be heard. Most parents enter the process frightened, unsure, and convinced they are out of their depth.

This book exists to change that.

Written in clear, compassionate language by an experienced SEND professional, Fighting for Your Child is a complete, step-by-step guide for parents navigating EHCP tribunals in England. It explains the process honestly, without legal jargon, false reassurance, or pressure to fight at all costs.

You will learn how tribunal really works, why Local Authorities make the decisions they do, and how parents can rebalance the system without burning out. From refusals to assess, weak EHCPs, and placement disputes, to mediation, evidence, hearings, and enforcement, this book walks you through every stage with clarity and care.

More than a legal guide, this is a survival handbook for families. It recognises the emotional cost of fighting for support, the impact on children, and the strain placed on family life. It shows parents how to advocate effectively while protecting their wellbeing and rebuilding life after tribunal.

This book will help you:
• understand your rights without becoming a legal expert
• prepare strong evidence that tribunals actually listen to
• challenge vague EHCPs and unlawful decisions confidently
• navigate hearings without fear or intimidation
• enforce tribunal decisions when the system drags its feet
• move forward after tribunal without staying in constant fight mode

Whether you are considering an appeal, already in the process, or trying to make sense of what comes next, Fighting for Your Child gives you knowledge, reassurance, and perspective.

You are not unreasonable.
You are not alone.
And you should never have to fight this hard to secure support for your child — but if you do, this book will walk beside you every step of the way.