A brief history

The helpline had its roots in Oldfield House School. The School was due to be closed in 2000. The Governors fought against the closure for two years, but finally lost the battle.

One ex-governor Martin Dean, the chair of governors, Marion Strudwick and her husband Bob Parslow, thought that they should help two particular children from the school. They were successful in obtaining proper provision for those children, and the idea of helping other children was born!

A small team of volunteers was formed, who dealt with the growing number of Cases, including representing parents at SENDIST. They gave talks to groups of parent & carers in various locations and organised small meetings and major workshops with eminent SEN experts as speakers.

October 2002

At a meeting of the Voice of Independent Parents in Special Educational Needs (VIPs in SEN), the Pilot Project helpline for parents who have children with Special Educational Needs was launched.

March 2003

Pilot Project Report published and discussed with Richmond LEA.

November 2003

First Annual Report published. 101 callers giving rise to 51 long term cases, on a variety of topics, from six Authorities who would seem not to have learnt from being forced to provide proper provision and their consistent failure at SENDIST.

November 2004

Second Annual Report published. 151 callers, leading to 56 long term cases and 44 medium term cases. “There is little or no evidence that efforts have been made by Local Education Authorities to take these matters seriously.”

November 2005

Third Annual Report published. 1,350 calls, leading to 90 long term cases and 82 medium term cases. “We note that, where LEAs are attempting back door methods of reducing the number of statements or ignoring the requirement of specific, quantified and detailed provision, there is a growing number of calls from worried parents and an ever increasing move towards appeals to the High Court for Judicial Review and to SENDIST.”

December 2005

SOS!SEN awarded charitable status

June 2006

SOS!SEN co-ordinator, Marion Strudwick, given Richmond Good Citizen Award.

November ’06

Over 2,000 calls handled in the previous 12 months. This demonstrates the increasing number of parents who feel their child is not making adequate progress or is in the wrong educational setting.

January ’07

Helpline office moved from team members’ homes to new premises in Twickenham. .

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Annual SOS!SEN reports

Annual reports available for download as PDF's:

You can download a free copy of Acrobat Reader from the Adobe Website

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Press releases

Landmark for Special Needs

A LANDMARK was reached today (22 January 2007) in the battle for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) across England, as the charity SOS!SEN opened their first offices, in Twickenham, South West London.

Now the charity, which was founded four years ago by former teachers, will be able to help more parents, carers and educationalists of children with SEN through its advice line, the Workshops they run and through campaigning.

Officially opening the offices at 35 Staines Road, was Twickenham MP Dr Vincent Cable who has championed the charity's cause both in Parliament and with Local Educational Authorities. He said: "I know from my case work that there are large numbers of local parents of children with special needs who are at their wits' end because of the obstacles they face when trying to secure their children's' legal rights. SOS!SEN provides invaluable help and I am delighted that it now has a permanent base."

Some 3,000 parents of children with special needs are expected to contact the helpline this year for advice which could make the crucial difference between whether their child is able to succeed at school, or not.

SOS!SEN has become a formidable force in the world of special needs, with leading special needs barrister John Friel and solicitor Melinda Nettleton as two of its Trustees.

Members of the helpline and its back-up team are all volunteers who have spent much of their lives in educational or related services or are parents who have, themselves, fought with success for their children's rights.

Their friendly, independent and confidential telephone helpline gives advice on:

Interpreting the SEN Code of Practice and other related documents;
Interpreting official letters;
Checking proposed and revised Statements of Special Educational Needs;
Helping to prepare letters of request, comment and complaint;
Finding independent professional advice e.g. Educational Psychologists and lawyers;
Giving guidance on the next available procedures which may be suitable;
Accompanying parents on visits to the offices of officials in education and health services and to meetings in schools;
Advising on preparation of Case Statements for SENDIST (Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal);
Writing Case Statements;
Presenting cases at tribunal or acting as a helper to parents.

Since the charity first began, it has operated from a house in Hampton, with its Helpline volunteers raising the funds necessary to continue their work. The new offices will provide a base for volunteers to man the Helpline, a venue for workshops for parents and educationalists, and a place to meet callers.

Commenting on this important stage in the charity's short history, co-founder Marion Strudwick said: "The expansion of the charity's work has been inevitable as more and more parents realise that local authorities continue to fail to make proper provision for so many children with SEN. The new stage in our development is particularly exciting because so many parents are now involved in helping provide our extended service. Parents who have already been through the battle for their children's rights are the best people to help other parents starting down that path. The new arrangements will also leave more time for some of the team to carry out campaigning at a national level."

Press Enquiries: Marion Strudwick or Sarah Griffin (SOS!SEN) on 020 8538 3731 or e-mail admin@sossen.org.uk

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