Private general enquiries · Families in England

Ask an Expert

One general SEN question. A clearer next step.

Not sure how a part of SEN support or the EHCP process works in England? Ask Stephen a general question using the private form below.

If the question is within scope and he has capacity, Stephen will write a personal reply: a plain-English explanation, practical next steps and links to relevant guidance. There are no automatic chatbot answers.

Ask your general question

A free, limited pilot. Not every question will receive an expert answer, and there is no fixed response time. Intake may be paused when capacity is reached. This is not a full case audit or an ongoing advice service.

What can I ask?

Ask about understanding a process, preparing for a conversation or finding useful guidance. For example:

The EHCP process: “Where can parents find guidance about a refusal to carry out an EHC needs assessment?”
A school meeting: “What general questions could a parent prepare for a SEN support review meeting?”
School distress: “What can parents ask school about understanding distress around attendance and discussing support?”

These are illustrative questions, not enquiries already answered. Ask about the process, rather than whether a child’s evidence proves a case or what a particular school must do in your circumstances.

You can also read our free resources, school distress and EBSA guidance and school-support guidance now.

What a free answer covers

A general answer can help you understand an issue, identify questions to ask and find relevant guidance. It cannot replace advice based on a review of your individual circumstances.

This pilot does not include EHCP, report or evidence reviews; a full case audit; drafted letters or appeal grounds; legal merits assessments; diagnosis or treatment; deadline management; or unlimited follow-up. It does not promise a detailed report or any particular outcome.

If individual work is needed, that is a separate engagement. Free independent help is available through IPSEA and your local SENDIASS service. You do not need to buy a service or a book to ask a question.

Your general question

Keep the question general. Do not include a child’s name, school, date of birth, address, reference numbers, names of professionals, medical or diagnostic details, health information or confidential case facts. Do not paste reports, an EHCP or correspondence, or link to a shared case folder. No attachments are accepted.

Required fields are marked “required”. Your first name is enough; please use your own details, not a child’s.

Your name (required) Your first name is enough. Do not use a child’s name.

Email address (required) We use this address to contact you privately about this enquiry.

Local authority (optional) Authority name only, if useful for general context. No school or address.

Question category (optional)

One general question (required) Maximum 1,500 characters. Ask one question about a process, without child identifiers, health information or documents. 0 of 1,500 characters

How did you first hear about SEND Navigate? (optional) A voluntary broad source only, to understand how people find us. No group names or other details. Your choice does not affect eligibility or a reply and is not marketing consent. It stays with your private enquiry, follows the same retention policy and is not sent to analytics.

I confirm that this is one general question, without child identifiers, health information, documents or links to case files. I understand the service’s scope and capacity limits. (Required)

I have read the privacy information and understand how my enquiry will be used to assess and respond to my question. (Required)

Stephen Mallett, trading as SEND Navigate, uses your contact details and general question for this enquiry under legitimate interests. This acknowledgement is not consent to marketing or permission to process health records. You will not be added to a marketing list, and your question will not be published. Submissions are stored through Netlify Forms; correspondence uses email providers. Email is not end-to-end encrypted. Read the handling and retention information.

Need individual support instead?

The consultation and paid services below are separate from Ask an Expert. Asking a question does not book a call or commit you to paid work.

Free 30-minute consultation: A conversation with a short written next-step summary, normally one to two pages, based on the discussion. Not a document review or full case audit; delivery timing is agreed during the call.
Initial Consultation · £175: Pre-reading of one recent document, a 60-minute call and written next steps, within up to 3.5 hours of total professional time.
EHCP Review & Strengthening · £550: A separately scoped, section-by-section EHCP review, within up to 11 hours of professional time.

See services and fees. Paid work begins only after the scope, deliverables, time allowance and fee are agreed. There is no obligation to proceed.

About Stephen

Stephen Mallett has 25 years’ experience in education, including work as a teacher, SENCo and Headteacher. He is also the parent of two children with SEN. Read more about Stephen’s background.

His books, The Parent’s Shield and Not Refusing. Unable., offer another way to explore his approach. Browse the books if useful; buying one is not required to ask a question or access support.