# EHCP support in Blackburn | Little Nellie’s Canonical: https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/ehcp-support/locations/blackburn - [Home](https://www.nelliesupports.com/) - [EHCP support](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/ehcp-support) - [England locations](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/ehcp-support/locations) - Blackburn # EHCP support and advocacy in Blackburn Find the right council route, understand the free help available and choose independent support for your child’s next step. ## On this page - [Check your council](https://www.nelliesupports.com/#council) - [Local routes and free help](https://www.nelliesupports.com/#free-help) - [Local questions](https://www.nelliesupports.com/#local-questions) - [Your rights in England](https://www.nelliesupports.com/#rights) - [Advocate or solicitor?](https://www.nelliesupports.com/#solicitor) - [How we can help](https://www.nelliesupports.com/#our-support) - [Fees](https://www.nelliesupports.com/#fees) - [Sources and checks](https://www.nelliesupports.com/#sources) ## Which council is responsible for your family? The main education authority covered by this guide is Blackburn with Darwen. This is an area signpost, not a decision about an individual address. Start with your home address, rather than the name of the school, postal town or district council. Blackburn with Darwen is a separate education authority from Lancashire County Council. Check the exact home address rather than assuming every Blackburn postal address uses this authority. - [GOV.UK: find your council](https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council) - [ons.gov.uk](https://www.ons.gov.uk/explore-local-statistics/areas/E06000008-blackburn-with-darwen) - Use [GOV.UK’s council finder](https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council) with your home postcode. - Where it returns both a district and county council, use the authority responsible for education/SEND. - Confirm with that SEND team before sending records if the address is near a boundary, your family has moved, care arrangements are unusual or another authority is already involved. Ask which authority is handling the request and keep the reply. Attending a school over the council boundary does not by itself transfer an assessment request to that school’s council. ## Assessment and free support: Blackburn with Darwen ### Request an EHC needs assessment Parents can write directly to Blackburn with Darwen’s Statutory Assessment Team to request an EHC needs assessment. The current request page includes a model letter and asks you to describe the child’s difficulties, support received and why further help may be needed. The council’s request page gives Statutory Assessment Team, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Duke Street, Blackburn BB2 1DH and statutory.assessment@blackburn.gov.uk. It asks for the letter by post and email. These are the council’s published arrangements; the national right is to request an assessment in writing. SEND team contact: statutory.assessment@blackburn.gov.uk; statutory team phone 01254 666739 - [blackburn.gov.uk](https://www.blackburn.gov.uk/children-families-and-young-people/special-educational-needs-and-disabilities-send-local-offer/help-learning/education-health-and-care-plans-ehcps/how-request-education-health-and-care-ehc-needs-assessment) - [blackburn.gov.uk](https://www.blackburn.gov.uk/children-families-and-young-people/special-educational-needs-and-disabilities-send-local-offer) - [blackburn.gov.uk](https://www.blackburn.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-admissions/specific-school-admissions-criteria) ### Local Offer Council Local Offer signposted by the local carers service and Community CVS. ### Free SEND information, advice and support Community CVS SENDIASS offers free impartial advice on EHC requests and disputes. Contact sendiass@communitycvs.org.uk or 01254 503049. Its service policy limits ongoing advice where a family already has ongoing solicitor or SEND advocate support; ask how this applies before commissioning overlapping work. Ask the service what help it can offer with your current stage and any deadline. Availability and representation are not guaranteed. ### Parent-carer support Parent-carer membership and Kingsway coffee mornings; service links to Parents in Partnership for families of under-25s with SEND. ### Mediation and disagreements Together Trust explicitly lists Blackburn with Darwen among its free SEND mediation/disagreement-resolution contract areas. Keep the decision letter and check the appeal deadline separately. Paid advocacy is optional and is separate from the statutory mediation service. ## Practical questions for families in Blackburn ### Can I use free SENDIASS while paying an advocate? Community CVS publishes a restriction where a family already receives ongoing solicitor or SEND advocate support. Ask it about your situation before commissioning overlapping work; free information and peer support remain different from a paid casework agreement. - [communitycvs.org.uk](https://www.communitycvs.org.uk/index-html/sendiass/) ### Where can I find parent support in Blackburn? The local carers service invites parent carers to register and links Parents in Partnership. Its Kingsway coffee mornings provide peer connection and local-service information; check current dates rather than treating them as a booked legal-advice appointment. - [bwdcarers.org.uk](https://www.bwdcarers.org.uk/parent-carers/) ### Other local resources to explore - [Blackburn with Darwen Carers Service](https://www.bwdcarers.org.uk/parent-carers/)Local parent-carer registration, peer meetings and information. ### What should I keep ready before asking for help? Keep the council letter and its date, the latest plan or draft, school support records and relevant existing reports. Note your child’s views, communication needs and the provision that is missing or unclear. Ask an adviser to distinguish an assessment refusal, a refusal to issue a plan, disputed wording and failure to deliver existing provision: they may need different next steps. ### Can I get help without an EHCP? Free SEND advice can help you understand SEN support and whether to request an assessment. You do not need to purchase a private report or advocacy package before seeking that advice. ## Your rights in England You can request an EHC needs assessment yourself. Explain the special educational needs your child has or may have and why provision through an EHC plan may be needed. A school’s support can help, but its agreement is not a precondition. After compulsory school age, rights generally belong to the young person; confirm who is entitled to act and how they want to participate. There is no legally prescribed council form or portal you must use. Keep your request, supporting evidence and proof of receipt. The usual period for the decision whether to assess is six weeks; where a plan is issued, the usual overall limit is 20 weeks from receipt of the assessment request, subject to the statutory exceptions. Local processes do not replace national legal duties. If the council refuses to assess, refuses to issue a plan or makes another appealable EHC decision, read the decision letter and appeal information promptly. The usual appeal receipt deadline is two months from the decision letter or one month from the mediation certificate, whichever is later. A complaint or informal discussion does not automatically preserve an appeal deadline. In most cases you must contact a mediation adviser before appealing, but you do not have to attend mediation. A Section I-only appeal is an exception to the mediation-advice requirement. - [IPSEA: requesting an assessment](https://www.ipsea.org.uk/asking-for-an-ehc-needs-assessment) - [HMCTS: appeal an EHC plan decision](https://www.gov.uk/appeal-ehc-plan-decision) - [HMCTS: mediation before appeal](https://www.gov.uk/appeal-ehc-plan-decision/before-you-appeal) - [GOV.UK: requesting and creating an EHC plan](https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs/extra-SEN-help) - [HMCTS: appeal deadlines and submission](https://www.gov.uk/appeal-ehc-plan-decision/appeal-as-a-parent) ## Do I need an EHCP or SEND solicitor in Blackburn? You do not have to instruct a solicitor to request an EHC needs assessment or bring a SEND Tribunal appeal. You can prepare the request or appeal yourself and present your own case. Choose support according to the issue, the evidence, your capacity to manage the work and any deadlines. Self-help Use the national guides, keep a dated record and set out the educational needs and provision clearly. Free advice Your local SENDIASS, [IPSEA](https://www.ipsea.org.uk/) and [SOS!SEN](https://www.sossen.org.uk/) offer information or advice. Availability and the level of individual help vary. A parent-carer forum represents collective family views and may offer peer support; do not assume it undertakes individual appeals. Independent paid advocacy Optional help can include organising evidence, correspondence, meetings, appeal preparation and agreed hearing representation. Ask about experience, exact scope, fees, complaints arrangements and any work that requires legal advice. A specialist solicitor Specialist legal advice may be appropriate for failure to deliver provision, possible judicial review, urgent or complex legal issues, or an appeal on a point of law. Check the solicitor’s relevant experience and regulatory status. [Check legal-aid eligibility](https://www.gov.uk/legal-aid/check-legal-aid); funding for advice and funding for hearing representation are different questions. Little Nellie’s provides independent SEND support and advocacy, not a solicitor’s service. We confirm whether the work falls within our scope and explain when specialist legal advice is needed. Our England-wide service does not mean we have a local office in Blackburn. - [IPSEA: requesting an assessment](https://www.ipsea.org.uk/asking-for-an-ehc-needs-assessment) - [HMCTS: presenting your case](https://www.gov.uk/appeal-ehc-plan-decision/what-happens-at-the-hearing) - [GOV.UK: check legal aid](https://www.gov.uk/legal-aid/check-legal-aid) - [Judicial review: pre-action protocol](https://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/civil/protocol/prot_jrv) - [IPSEA: choosing help and legal-aid scope](https://www.ipsea.org.uk/where-can-i-get-help) ## How Little Nellie’s can help your family in Blackburn Start with the stage you have reached: a request for assessment, a refusal, a draft or final plan, mediation, an annual review or an appeal. We can help identify evidence gaps, prepare documents and correspondence, work on proposed plan wording and provide agreed advocacy or Tribunal support. A new assessment or Evidence Pack is not automatically necessary. We support families in England. The initial conversation can establish your stage and deadlines; document review and individual case advice are separate paid work. Tell us about communication and accessibility needs. Confirm remote arrangements, any meeting attendance, practitioner availability and any travel costs in writing. Tribunal attendance may be in person or by video as directed and agreed; this is not a promise of routine home visits in Blackburn. Our practice base is in Grantham. We are independent of the council and the free services linked on this page. Those services are options you can contact directly. ## Fees and the work to agree Published consumer fees include VAT. These figures were checked against our fees page on 13 November 2026. Every instruction receives a written quote identifying the agreed work, total, payment stages and separate charges. | Support | Fee | Scope | | --- | --- | --- | | EHCP application support | £1,080 | Preparation and submission of an evidenced request; up to 18 hours within the agreed scope. | | Draft EHCP review | £960 | Review, proposed amendments and parental response. | | Existing evidence review | £336 | Written review of evidence, gaps and possible next steps. | | Refusal appeal | £3,300 | Agreed appeal casework; hearing attendance separate. | | Content appeal | £5,400 | Agreed appeal and working-document casework; hearing attendance separate. | | Tribunal hearing representation | £1,080 | Preparation and attendance for the hearing agreed in your instruction. | | Mediation preparation | £864 | Preparation and written position; attendance separate. | | Mediation attendance | £576 | Agreed meeting support and written follow-up. | | Working-document support | £2,700 | Agreed amendments and exchanges for a family managing its appeal. | | Annual-review support | £1,200 | Preparation, agreed attendance and written follow-up. | | EHCP Evidence Pack | £3,600 | Assessments and reports answering the agreed evidence questions. | | Advocacy and action plan | £360 | Three-hour block, valid for 90 days. | | Additional agreed work | £90 per hour | Outside a fixed scope; agreed in writing before work starts. | Statutory mediation is free; our mediation fees are for optional support. Appeal preparation and hearing representation are separate stages. The written quote explains overlap, payment timing and what happens if agreement is reached before a hearing. ## Understand your next step - [EHCP guides for parents and carers](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/training-and-conferences/ehcp-guides) - [Requesting an EHC needs assessment](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/ehcp-support/ehcp-application-support) - [Refusal to assess or issue a plan](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/ehcp-support/ehcp-refusal-appeal) - [Appeals about needs, provision or placement](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/ehcp-support/ehcp-content-appeal) - [SEND advocate or solicitor: choosing support](https://www.nelliesupports.com/ehcp-dynamic-pages/send-advocate-vs-solicitor) - [All EHCP support fees and payment stages](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/ehcp-support/little-nellies-prices) ## Talk through the next step A free 15-minute call helps identify the stage, dates and suitable support. It does not include detailed document review. Share brief context and any deadline; ask how to send records securely rather than sending identifying information about a child in an initial message. Found Little Nellie’s through an AI assistant? [Send an EHCP enquiry after an AI recommendation](https://www.nelliesupports.com/ai-referrals?service=ehcp-send). ## Sources and checks Local source checks: 2026-11-13. Local processes and provider availability can change. Follow the original sources for current arrangements and contact us if a link or detail needs correction. - [www.communitycvs.org.uk — primary service/process page](https://www.communitycvs.org.uk/index-html/sendiass/) — Blackburn with Darwen; checked 2026-11-13. - [Blackburn with Darwen Carers Service](https://www.bwdcarers.org.uk/parent-carers/) — Blackburn with Darwen; checked 2026-11-13. - [www.togethertrust.org.uk — primary service/process page](https://www.togethertrust.org.uk/helping-families/mediation) — Blackburn with Darwen; checked 2026-11-13. - [GOV.UK: find your council](https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council) — England; checked 2026-11-13. - [Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) local offer — Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council](https://www.blackburn.gov.uk/children-families-and-young-people/special-educational-needs-and-disabilities-send-local-offer) — Blackburn with Darwen; checked 2026-11-13. - [How to request an Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessment — Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council](https://www.blackburn.gov.uk/children-families-and-young-people/special-educational-needs-and-disabilities-send-local-offer/help-learning/education-health-and-care-plans-ehcps/how-request-education-health-and-care-ehc-needs-assessment) — Blackburn with Darwen; checked 2026-11-13. - [Specific school admissions criteria — Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council](https://www.blackburn.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-admissions/specific-school-admissions-criteria) — Blackburn with Darwen; checked 2026-11-13. - [ONS: Blackburn with Darwen E06000008](https://www.ons.gov.uk/explore-local-statistics/areas/E06000008-blackburn-with-darwen) — Unitary authority / electoral wards / statistical area; checked 2026-11-13. - [IPSEA: requesting an assessment](https://www.ipsea.org.uk/asking-for-an-ehc-needs-assessment) — England; checked 2026-11-13. - [HMCTS: appeal an EHC plan decision](https://www.gov.uk/appeal-ehc-plan-decision) — England; checked 2026-11-13. - [HMCTS: mediation before appeal](https://www.gov.uk/appeal-ehc-plan-decision/before-you-appeal) — England; checked 2026-11-13. - [HMCTS: presenting your case](https://www.gov.uk/appeal-ehc-plan-decision/what-happens-at-the-hearing) — England; checked 2026-11-13. - [GOV.UK: check legal aid](https://www.gov.uk/legal-aid/check-legal-aid) — England; checked 2026-11-13. - [Little Nellie’s: current fees and scope](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/ehcp-support/little-nellies-prices) — England; checked 2026-11-13. - [GOV.UK: requesting and creating an EHC plan](https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs/extra-SEN-help) — England; checked 2026-11-13. - [HMCTS: appeal deadlines and submission](https://www.gov.uk/appeal-ehc-plan-decision/appeal-as-a-parent) — England; checked 2026-11-13. - [Judicial review: pre-action protocol](https://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/civil/protocol/prot_jrv) — England; checked 2026-11-13. - [IPSEA: choosing help and legal-aid scope](https://www.ipsea.org.uk/where-can-i-get-help) — England; checked 2026-11-13.