​HELEN GIFFORD 

CONSULTING

 

 

I have over 10 years of experience working in the Special Educational Needs (SEN) Team of a local authority, initially as a Statement and Review Officer, writing and reviewing statements of SEN, and ending my time in local authorities as the Team Manager. I have been in independent practice supporting parents since 2015.

 

I decided to move to working independently as I believe that I can work constructively with families and schools to help achieve appropriate results for children and young people in relation to Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans. I am committed to working with my clients to resolve disagreements and ensure that families play a full part in the development of EHC Plans. My client relationships are built on trust, and I will be honest with my clients about the issues that we are working on.

 

I have significant experience in working within the SEN and Disability Code of Practice and local authorities' processes and expectations relating to this. I use this experience to help to progress discussions and negotiations between families, schools and the local authority, promoting better understanding of concerns and the issues, so that appropriate decisions can be made.