# EHCP support in Gateshead | Little Nellie’s Canonical: https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/ehcp-support/locations/gateshead - [Home](https://www.nelliesupports.com/) - [EHCP support](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/ehcp-support) - [England locations](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/ehcp-support/locations) - Gateshead # EHCP support and advocacy in Gateshead 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 Gateshead. 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. Gateshead borough is separate from Newcastle across the Tyne. Check the child’s home address using GOV.UK Find your local council, then confirm SEND responsibility if the family has moved or there are care/custody exceptions. - [GOV.UK: find your council](https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council) - [ons.gov.uk](https://www.ons.gov.uk/explore-local-statistics//areas/E08000037-gateshead) - 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: Gateshead ### Request an EHC needs assessment A parent can ask Gateshead Council directly in writing for an EHC needs assessment. Explain the child’s needs, the support already in place and why assessment may be needed. You do not need to wait for a school to make the request. Post a written request to Gateshead Council, marked for the SEND Team, Civic Centre, Regent Street, Gateshead NE8 1HH. This uses the national written-request right and the council’s published general postal address. The published SEND service contact is senteam@gateshead.gov.uk or 0191 433 3626 for help with routing, accessibility and confirming receipt. Keep a dated copy. SEND team contact: senteam@gateshead.gov.uk; 0191 433 3626 - [educationgateshead.org](https://educationgateshead.org/privacy-policy/) - [educationgateshead.org](https://educationgateshead.org/) - [educationgateshead.org](https://educationgateshead.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/6153-JH-Registration-as-Vision-Impaired-Leaflet.pdf) - [furrowfieldschool.uk](https://www.furrowfieldschool.uk/admissions) ### Local Offer Furrowfield School explains what Gateshead’s Local Offer covers, including education, health, care, transport and community support. Its page also publishes the council SEND Team’s email and phone number. ### Free SEND information, advice and support Gateshead SENDIASS is provided by Axis and offers free impartial confidential support for children and young people aged 0–25 and their families. Contact 0115 959 7771 or use its contact page. Ask the service what help it can offer with your current stage and any deadline. Availability and representation are not guaranteed. ### Parent-carer support Volunteer-led borough-wide peer support, information and participation; not the statutory assessment decision maker. ### Mediation and disagreements Use the independent mediation contact in your council decision letter. If it is missing, ask the SEND team for current details. 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 Gateshead ### Where can I meet other Gateshead parent carers? The forum publishes coffee mornings at the Metrocentre Community Hub, with breaks in some months. Check its current events list before travelling; use peer support for shared experience and SENDIASS for individual process advice. - [gatesheadparentcarerforum.co.uk](https://gatesheadparentcarerforum.co.uk/) ### Why do older pages still send me to Barnardo’s? The current SENDIASS site identifies Axis as the replacement provider. Older directory entries remain online, so start with the current service’s own contact page rather than an old leaflet. - [gatesheadsendiass.org.uk](https://gatesheadsendiass.org.uk/about.php) ### Other local resources to explore - [Gateshead Parent Carer Forum events](https://gatesheadparentcarerforum.co.uk/)Metrocentre peer meetings and parent information; check the current event before attending. ### 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 Gateshead? 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 Gateshead. - [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 Gateshead 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 Gateshead. 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. - [gatesheadsendiass.org.uk — primary service/process page](https://gatesheadsendiass.org.uk/about.php) — Gateshead; checked 2026-11-13. - [Gateshead Parent Carer Forum events](https://gatesheadparentcarerforum.co.uk/) — Gateshead; checked 2026-11-13. - [GOV.UK: find your council](https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council) — England; checked 2026-11-13. - [Privacy Policy — Education Gateshead](https://educationgateshead.org/privacy-policy/) — Gateshead; checked 2026-11-13; publication date: Last modified April 2024. - [Education Gateshead — council education services](https://educationgateshead.org/) — Gateshead; checked 2026-11-13. - [Registration for children and young people with vision impairment — Gateshead Council Education, Schools and Inclusion](https://educationgateshead.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/6153-JH-Registration-as-Vision-Impaired-Leaflet.pdf) — Gateshead; checked 2026-11-13; publication date: June 2024. - [Furrowfield School Admissions](https://www.furrowfieldschool.uk/admissions) — Gateshead; checked 2026-11-13. - [Gateshead SEND Local Offer — Furrowfield School gateway](https://www.furrowfieldschool.uk/gateshead-Local) — Gateshead; checked 2026-11-13. - [ONS: Gateshead E08000037](https://www.ons.gov.uk/explore-local-statistics//areas/E08000037-gateshead) — Metropolitan district / constituent 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.