Welcome to our SEND Law and Welfare Benefits Advocacy Service
How can we help you? We take the stress away from your advocacy battles by doing the work for you!
At Operation Diversity, our amazing team of SEND Advocates aim to empower you with the right knowledge, tools and inspiration to confidently advocate for your child’s needs to be identified and met in education and at home. We can offer help such as a simple support call to answer all of your questions one-to-one, to boost your confidence, or we could even attend important meetings online with you as your advocate. Our Education, Health and Care Plan Advocates can assist you with the EHCP process too! Preparing your requests, appeals, dealing with correspondence and negotiating with LAs, attending mediation with you or your annual review with other professionals. Have a question? Please contact us here.
Meet our Consultants and Advocates
Jo Berry
SEND Advocate
Sarah Collins
SEND Law Advocate
Sarah Chapman
SEND Advocate
Lyndsay Critchlow
SEND Law Advocate
Angela Owen
Welfare Benefits Advocate
BOOK a Support Call or Zoom Consultation with a SEND Law Advocate one-to-one at a time to suit you!
- A range of time slots available day and evenings
This service includes the following:
- A 50-minute support call or zoom consultant with a SEND Advocate
- The allocated SEND Advocate will send you a follow-up email, summarising the recommendations from your consultation, summarising your next steps
- A range of time slots available day and evenings
Book a consultation with Angela to discuss, claim or appeal any of the below including but not limited to:
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Personal Independent Payment (PIP)
- Universal Credit (UC)
- Income Support (IC)
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Benefit and applicable discounts
- Bedroom Tax
- Debt Advice
- Access to Work (ATW)
- Housing adaptions
- Eviction and Eviction Notices
- Applications for emergency payments
- Child Tax Credits
- Working Tax Credits
- Family Fund
- British Gas Fund
£45 ex. VAT
Note: Your initial consultation will be one hour. If you would like Angela to complete an application or mandatory reconsideration for you we will invoice you separately for the time to do so after your consultation. For example, the cost of a DLA/PIP application is an additional £50 ex. VAT or for a mandatory reconsideration it will be an additional £100 ex. VAT
Parental Request for an EHC Needs Assessment
- Usually a turnaround of a maximum of ten days depending on
This service includes the following:
- Reviewing your child’s documentation, this includes diagnostic reports, school reports, medical reports, and other associated documentation
- Using the provided documentation, we will compose your Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment request letter
- The request letter will highlight all of your child’s special educational needs and why your child needs an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment
- Email correspondence with yourself to ensure the request letter is a true reflection of your child’s special educational needs and the reasons why an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment is essential
- Once you are satisfied with the contents, the request letter can then be submitted to your Local Authority
Refusal to Assess - Drafting your Grounds of Appeal
- We will work to your document's deadline (usually no later than 24 hours before)
This service includes the following:
- Reviewing all of the supporting documentation
- Writing your Grounds of Appeal based on the evidence provided
- Email correspondence with yourself to ensure that the Grounds of Appeal is a true reflection of your child’s special educational needs and the reasons why an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment is essential
- Once you are satisfied with the contents, you can lodge your tribunal appeal with the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDIST)
Refusal to Issue - Drafting your Grounds of Appeal
- We will work to your documents deadline
This service includes the following:
- Writing your tribunal appeal form on your behalf
- Reviewing all of the supporting documents
- Writing your grounds based on the evidence provided
- Explicitly outline why an Educational Health Care Plan is essential for your child
- Email correspondence with yourselves to ensure that the Grounds of Appeal is a true reflection of your child’s special educational needs and the reasons why an Education, Health and Care Plan is essential
- We will then email your Grounds of Appeal and supporting documents in numerical order for you to check ready to submit for your appeal
Education, Health and Care Plan (DRAFT) check - Fully Loaded
- We will work to your documents deadline (usually no later than 24 hours before)
This includes the following:
- Checking each of the broad areas of need were used appropriately; amending if necessary
- Thoroughly reading all your professional reports
- Ensuring all “Needs” from your reports are in ‘Section B’; if we identify any excluded, we will address this and move any inserted to the wrong sections
- Ensuring all “Provisions” from your reports are in ‘Section F’; if we identify any excluded, we will address this and move any inserted to the wrong sections
- Checking all Provision in ‘Section F’ is specific and quantified as required by law; addressing any that are not.
- Checking all “Outcomes” in ‘Section E’ are appropriate and ‘SMART’ (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-Bound); addressing any that are not
Contents Appeal - Section B (Needs), Section F (Provision), and Section I (Placement) - Drafting your Grounds of Appeal
- We will work to your documents deadline (usually no later than 24 hours before)
This service includes the following:
- Writing your tribunal appeal form on your behalf
- Review all of the supporting documentation
- Writing your grounds based on the evidence provided
- Reflect the reasons why the contents of ‘Section B’ inadequately reflect your child’s special educational needs
- Reflect the reasons why the contents of ‘Section F’ inadequately reflect the provision your child requires
- Ensure that your preferred placement for your child is detailed for ‘Section I’
- Detail why your preferred school is essential and supported by the relevant evidence, Acts, Legislations and case laws where necessary
- Email correspondence with yourself to ensure that the Grounds of Appeal is a true reflection of your child’s special educational needs and the reasons why the Education, Health and Care Plan must be amended within Sections B, F and I.
- We will email your Grounds of Appeal and supporting documents in numerical order for you to check ready to submit for your appeal
Working Document service using the "Tribunal Key"
A Working Document is a Microsoft Word version of your finalised EHC Plan sent to you by your Local Authority in the lead-up to your tribunal hearing. This will be when you have challenged the contents of sections B (“Needs”) and F (“Provision”) of your EHC Plan. The “Tribunal Key” facilitates time-limited (back and forth) formal written negotiations between you and your Local Authority using types of text styles as a ‘code’ representing the actions taken by each party. The idea being, to work together to agree on as much of the content as possible before reaching your hearing.
This service includes:
- Checking each of the broad areas of need were used appropriately; amending if necessary
- Thoroughly reading all your professional reports
- Ensuring all “Needs” from your reports are in ‘Section B’; if we identify any excluded, we will address this and move any inserted to the wrong sections
- Ensuring all “Provisions” from your reports are in ‘Section F’; if we identify any excluded, we will address this and move any inserted to the wrong sections
- Checking all Provision in ‘Section F’ is specific and quantified as required by law; addressing any that are not.
- Checking all “Outcomes” in ‘Section E’ are appropriate and ‘SMART’ (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-Bound); addressing any that are not
- Using the “Tribunal Key” and “Footnotes” to reference each proposed amendment to a high standard.
£500 ex. VAT (up to 4 reports) - Additional reports £40 ex. VAT per report
Please note: adding in additional reports once we have completed your working document or checking subsequent ‘versions’ of the Working Document with amendments proposed by the Local Authority will be charged £12.50 per 15-minutes of work and invoiced separately
Independent Report Quality Check service
This service includes the following:
- Reviewing your professional report
- Proposing amendments for your professional to consider when amending your report using our own colour coded “Key”
- Addressing any Provisions not specific and quantified to the standard required for Education, Health, and Care Plans
Tribunal Case Management service
This service includes the following:
- Completing the relevant ‘appeal form’ for your case
- Writing your ‘Grounds of Appeal’
- ‘Lodging your appeal’ with SENDIST
- ‘Corresponding with your Local Authority’ directly throughout the appeal.
- Submitting your ‘Parental Attendance’ form
- Writing a further ‘Case Statement’ (if required)
- ‘Submitting the relevant documents and the case statement before the ‘evidence deadline’ to SENDIST
- Writing your first ‘Working Document’ and sending it to your Local Authority
- Working with your Local Authority throughout your appeal on the working document leading up to your SENDIST hearing
Please note: We will case manage your tribunal appeal up to the hearing, liaising on your behalf with your Local Authority and with the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDIST). We do not offer representation at the hearing; parents and carers who cannot represent themselves will be supported to find a solicitor or other representative for the hearing if the Local Authority does not concede.
£12.50 ex. VAT - per 15 mins.
Costs are based on ongoing work completed on your case and can be invoiced weekly, fortnightly, or monthly, depending on your preference
BOOK a SEND Law Advocate to attend a meeting with you and your child's school
This service includes the following:
- One-hour: Zoom consultant prior to the meeting to go through the key points you feel need to be addressed during the meeting
- Two hours: Reviewing relevant documentation/correspondence prior to the meeting
- One hour: Support and advocacy during the first hour of the meeting
- We will ensure the outcomes agreed have all been recorded in the minutes of the meeting
Our SEND Law Advocates will attend your meeting and support you with any issues you are experiencing. They will ensure your voice, wishes, feelings, as well as those of your child, are heard and included in decision making. Note: Should your meeting overrun beyond an hour, or if you have substantial documentation to review which will take longer than the allocated times, we charge in 15-minute increments for each additional block of time at £12.50 ex. VAT (invoiced separately).
Advocacy Service Reviews
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"The Operation Diversity team are friendly, understanding and extremely knowledgeable. Sarah was calm and explained all the requirements in great detail.
She completed the forms and grounds for appeal to a very high standard and took the time to explain everything to me via the phone and on email. I can highly recommend Sarah and the Operation Diversity team!!"
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"I was very happy with the Report Check Operation Diversity did for me.
I wouldn’t hesitate to request the service again or recommend it.
Super speedy service and very thorough too.
Thank you OD! 5/5 Stars 🌟 ."
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"I used the EHCP Refusal/Appeal service as I get overwhelmed by how much information there is to collate and highlight.
I was worried that if I carried out the appeal paperwork on my own that I would maybe not highlight the important/relevant information.
Using the service gave me peace of mind. My advocate took all the information I had and turned it into an excellent piece of work and not something that I would have been able to do myself.
I’d definitely recommend using this service, it is competitively priced and I’d rate 5 stars for my experience."
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"Wow can i just say a massive thank you to Operation Diversity for my draft check, very thorough and easy to read unlike the draft. I look forward to sending to the LA. If anyone is stuck for support I would highly recommend." 😁
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"I can’t say how impressed I was with Sarah’s check of my SALT report - but even more so with the conversation after - it was lovely to speak to someone that gets what I am going through and reassured me that I am doing the right thing.I have also had a zoom conversation with Jo Berry and again I can’t speak highly enough - Jo was very knowledgeable and filled in the blanks with regards to the tribunal process."
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"Wow both me and my husband was blown away with how professional and the detail of the letter. I have looked over it this morning and everything seems perfect!"
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"I found the appointment a great help. We covered all the areas I needed help in and it gave me a huge relief to hear that I had done everything that needed to be done. I am very grateful for the opportunity to speak to someone who really knew her stuff and could give me such useful advice. I would highly recommend this service to everyone. Thank you for the reassurance and peace of mind this appointment has given this very stressed out mum."
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"I can’t say how impressed I was with Sarah’s check of my SALT report - but even more so with the conversation after - it was lovely to speak to someone that gets what I am going through and reassured me that I am doing the right thing. I have also had a zoom conversation with Jo Berry and again I can’t speak highly enough - Jo was very knowledgeable and filled in the blanks with regards to the tribunal process."
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"I had a zoom support call with the fantastic Operation Diversity advocate, Sarah Collins. It was nice to see a friendly face and to have a one to one chat. Sarah went through my daughters draft checked EHCP, to give me more clarity and set out the next steps. I went away feeling much more confident and sure of what to do. I would highly recommend the OD advocacy services, for their empathetic, polite and on-point approach to all things SEND."
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"I was so relieved after I had spoken with an advisor, I felt like I knew what I was doing. They talked me through my next steps and made it clear what and how and why I need to do the things they had recommended. They are lovely and it's not too formal. I asked about other services they offer and the payment plan is definitely something I need as I don't have a huge disposable income having a big family at home. I had a legal aid solicitor but they are so busy I have obtained only 1 penny of advice from them in the last 6 months. These people generally care about our children! I'm just so chuffed with my call today! More people need to know about you guys!"
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"This was my first experience of reaching out for advice and I can honestly say the advice received was not only well informed but the person I spoke with was very compassionate and reassuring. I felt truly heard and listened to and in the world of SEN and Social care, as a parent, you are rarely if ever heard or listened to.
Understanding your child and either being well educated/researched regarding their diversity and needs sadly appears to be a big red flag in education and social care, instead of being viewed for what is is..an innate parental desire to support your child and get their needs met because you love them and not because you're trying to be difficult or arbitrary. Unless your speaking with someone who truly understands this, which Operation Diversity advocates clearly do, you are in for a long and often very unfair fight. Having support from Operation Diversity advocates is often essential for many parents and in my experience both essential and reassuring that I could speak to someone who `truly gets it`...they understand. You feel much less alone and isolated and instead heard and validated. I couldn't fault them, truly excellent service and invaluable to parents. I felt a whole lot better after my advocacy call, truly wish Id done it sooner, and I won't hesitate to use the service again. Excellent!"
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"We are very satisfied with the advocacy service. It takes the stress out of what is already a stressful process. The advocates are the top experts and professionals in their field and know what they are doing. This gives our children the best possible outcomes with regards to their education and well being."
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"Absolutely fantastic and I cannot thank them enough the grounds of appeal is amazing. If I could squeeze you through this phone I would thank you so so much!."
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"The process of going to tribunal is very scary as a a parent. Sarah put me at ease and calmed me down! She explained things clearly and in a way that I could understand. Sarah had given me clear guidance on what I need to do next and I now feel confident."
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"Sarah was brilliant. She answered all the questions I had and helped me re-word some of the wishy-washy sections of my son's plan. It was a huge relief to have the support of someone who I knew was on my side. I now feel clearer about what I need to do next and so much less stressed. Wish I had done it ages ago."
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"I simply could not do this without you guys. Your unwavering support, wealth of knowledge and experience, and total commitment to getting the very best support for our children us commendable. I cannot thank you enough for empowering me to keep up the fight. Deana, you are worth your weight in gold, and then some. Thank you"
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"Absolutely amazing to have someone who understands and helps provide that support in a stressful time."
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"Very. Deana was knowledgeable, experienced, sensible and reassuring."
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"Absolute breath of fresh air talking to Deana Spilletts. Feel like such a weight has been lifted from me and that dark cloud that has been looming over my family seems to be dispursing. The mediation I was dreading, I'm actually now looking forward to because I am armed with Deana and know they won't be able to spout the same old rubbish they have to me. I feel refocused and remotivated at a point where I was ready to throw the towel in. Thanks so much team OD. You're worth your weight in gold."
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"Sarah Collins’s ability to see through the BS that made up our daughter’s EHCP was a revelation. I have so close to this issue with the constant emails to the school and LA; that I missed the obvious. I saw it and read it but could not use it as effectively as Sarah has. There are times when you need an impartial view of your issues and OD Advocacy service stepped in just at the right time. I get a few weeks breathing space whilst the LA gets it’s act together. Thank you again Sarah, grinning."
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"I found my Zoom call with Jo so very helpful she was very knowledgeable and helped me feel more in control over what we are going through I would highly recommend the service to anyone who needs support or advice I will definitely be using them again should I need anymore support."
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"Sarah has done a brilliant job with our working document. She’s identified all needs and provisions and specified and quantified them in a way that I never could have done myself. She’s effectively written us a new plan, but a good one! She also did it in less than a week to allow me to work to a deadline. Thank you Sarah! Xx."
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"I contacted, Sarah, and her team after hitting a block with my daughter battle after winning tribunal to have direct therapy in to my daughter EHCP and even after going to tribunal the school was failing to deliver the provisions, I contacted Sarah and her team to help me write a letter to the school/la as i was having a mental block and was losing all will to live after having a fight of nearly 2 years to get provisions delivered, Sarah and the team wrote me an amazing complaint letter that I hope will get the job resolved and save me having to go to the next step of judicial review, I cant thank her and her team enough id be lost without this page of help your all, 5 star."
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"The Service I have received from Operation Diversity has been overwhemingly amazing, I can not put into words how much they have helped me feel empowered to be able to fight for the support my daughter should be entitled to receive.
Me and my husband are so thankful for the Q&A on a Wednesday evening, as these sessions have provided us with so much information to a couple that had no clue about the EHCP process or the support that my daughter should be receiving.My Daughter has DLD and I do not know of anyone with children with DLD and never spoken to anyone that understands the everyday challenges that children with DLD face on a daily basis.
I had a support call with Sarah Collins to find out that her son has DLD and straight away for the first time since my daughters diagnosis, I felt someone got it and understood everything I said about my daughters hidden disorder and the support she needed. The relief there and then felt like it had lifted, just to have someone know your frustrations and empower you in the way Sarah Collins did for me within that telephone call, motivated me to get this far. My daughter has had a yes to issue an EHCP, which I never thought would have been possible due to the SENCO telling me I would never receive an EHCP for my daughter.
I knew from that support call and watching the webinars/Q&A Sessions that it felt like I had an army of support behind me, #OperationDiversity that I was not going to give up this fight.I got Sarah Collins to check my daughters EHCP draft as expected it was not fit for purpose. When reading Sarah Collins amendments to the draft all I could think was WOW, this woman is badass!!lol.
I am so overwhelmed with emotion by Sarah's draft check, I knew from reading comments on the Operation Diversity Facebook page that she was amazing at checking EHCP drafts but never realised how good until we received our amended draft yesterday. All I can say is you will never know how thankful we are for your listening ears and for the support you have given us, you are all truly amazing at Operation Diversity and I could not of done this without you. THANK YOU xxx"
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"After nearly deciding yesterday to throw the towel in & give up fighting for my son. I was just going to settle for a truly rubbish EOTAS package which consisted of 3 hours of tuition a day for my son. Sarah Chapman has re-ignited the fight in me. After battling for 2 years to get my son what he is legally entitled to, Operational Diversity will now take up the reins & finish the battle for me. I’m too overwhelmed & emotionally involved to continue fighting our LA. The weight has finally lifted from my shoulders & a sense of hope has at last crept in. She took the time to call me & open up a wealth of support for me & my family. That is priceless to me. Can’t truly thank you enough."
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"💥Boom another win for Team Operation Diversity have done it again. 💥🎉🎉🍾
I just wanted to share with you all how team OD is just the best. I am so pleased that I have this fabulous team behind me all the way.
With only five days after my deadline for my evidence to be submitted to the LA for a paper hearing of failure to assess. The LA have conceded and now have agreed to carry out a EHCNA for my son.
I cannot thank you enough TeamOD, Sarah Chapman, and Sarah Collins, you are awesome."
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"I'm so grateful for the support Sarah Chapman offered us today in the difficult meeting, Sarah was fantastic & better than a solicitor she knew all the right things to say to the professionals made & them look like they didn't even know what they were on about. I can't thank Sarah enough for helping us get my son the right provision without her support I think we would have been in a very difficult position. I don't know if I can use this word but Sarah kicks ass! Thank you so much for the support Sarah I will be forever grateful to you. . I am thankful to my friend for sign posting me to this amazing lady & team. I'm still overwhelmed & in complete awe of you Sarah for what you did today for us. I couldn't help but notice the manager getting a little flustered with all your questions! 🤣🤭 I owe everything to all you ladies 💞💞💞💞💞💞"
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