Help from mummy and Ruby

💛 JULY WINS 💛

July was a really positive month for so many of the families I’ve been supporting, and I wanted to take a moment to celebrate some of those wins. 🎉

Behind every one of these results is a parent or carer who has filled in forms, gathered evidence, waited, worried, challenged decisions and kept going.

And some of these families had initially been told no.

✨ PIP Tribunal
A parent contacted me after their child transferred from DLA to PIP. Their PIP claim was completely refused.

They challenged the decision through Mandatory Reconsideration — refused again.

I then supported them with their Tribunal appeal and the decision was overturned:

➡️ Standard Daily Living
➡️ Enhanced Mobility 🎉

✨ DLA New Claim → MR
I supported the original claim earlier this year. The initial award was Lower Rate Mobility only.

We challenged the decision.

➡️ Middle Rate Care added 🎉

✨ DLA Change of Circumstances
➡️ Middle Rate Care → Higher Rate Care 🎉

✨ DLA Mandatory Reconsideration
➡️ Lower Rate Care → Middle Rate Care 🎉

✨ DLA New Claim – child aged just 2
➡️ Middle Rate Care 🎉

✨ DLA – child aged 2
I supported the original claim earlier this year, which resulted in Middle Rate Care.

We challenged the decision through MR.

➡️ Increased to Higher Rate Care 🎉

✨ DLA Mandatory Reconsideration
Original award: Middle Rate Care.

After MR:

➡️ Higher Rate Care
➡️ Higher Rate Mobility 🎉

✨ PIP New Claim
➡️ Standard Daily Living
➡️ Standard Mobility 🎉

✨ School Attendance Fine
➡️ Withdrawn 🎉

And I have a feeling I’ve forgotten a few here sorry if it’s you ! 🙈

💛 Congratulations to every single family.

These aren’t just letters and decisions.

For families, the right award can mean help with additional costs, transport, equipment, appointments and some breathing space.

And sometimes a successful challenge simply means finally feeling like someone has recognised the level of support your child actually needs.

For anyone who is still waiting, still challenging or still fighting a decision — please don’t give up.

An initial decision isn’t necessarily the end of the road.

And if you’ve received a decision you don’t agree with, you’re unsure whether to challenge it, or you need help preparing your claim or appeal, you’re welcome to message me. 💛

📩 Help from Mummy & Ruby

If you have a success please comment below to help inspire others and if you know anyone struggling please share this post.

And finally — if I supported you recently and I’ve missed your win from this list, please give me a nudge! 😂💛

**THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED**

Don’t miss your chance to win a £150 Sainsbury's voucher to spend on back-to-school items!

Our giveaway with Chaotic - The Community closes at 4pm today, so head over to our website and submit your entry now: https://www.familyfund.org.uk/news/summer-fun-friday-chaotic-back-to-school-giveaway/

📚 Preparing for Phase Transfer – Day 5

Section F: What support is your child actually entitled to? 🔍

We’ve looked at your child’s needs.

We’ve looked at their strengths.

Now we’re moving onto a section I want you to pay very close attention to during phase transfer…

📌 Section F – Special Educational Provision

This is where the provision required to meet the special educational needs identified in Section B should be set out.

And there’s a really important connection I want you to remember:

NEED ➡️ PROVISION

If a need is identified in Section B, ask:

👉 What provision in Section F is there to meet it?

Because identifying a difficulty isn’t enough.

Your child’s EHCP needs to explain what is actually going to be done about it.

And this becomes particularly important during phase transfer.

Your child’s current school may know them incredibly well.

Staff may have supported them for years.

They may automatically know when your child needs a movement break, additional processing time, visual support or help regulating.

But your child’s new setting won’t have years of experience to rely upon.

They need the EHCP to tell them.

So open Section F today and really look at the wording.

Does it tell you:

👤 WHO will provide the support?

📆 HOW OFTEN will it happen?

⏱️ HOW LONG will it last?

👥 Will it be 1:1, small group or whole class?

📚 WHAT exactly will be provided?

🎯 Which need is that provision intended to meet?

Or does your Section F contain phrases such as:

❌ “Access to support”

❌ “Regular opportunities”

❌ “As required”

❌ “When necessary”

❌ “Adult support where appropriate”

They may sound positive…

But stop and ask yourself:

What does that actually guarantee my child?

“Regular” could mean every day.

It could mean once a week.

“Access to” doesn’t necessarily tell you how much support will actually be provided.

And “when required” raises another question…

Who decides when it’s required?

⚖️ Why does this matter so much?

Section F isn’t simply a wish list.

The local authority has a legal duty to secure the special educational provision specified in an EHCP.

That’s exactly why the detail matters.

💛 TODAY’S HOMEWORK

Don’t try to rewrite Section F today.

Just audit it.

Take a highlighter and mark every provision where you cannot clearly answer:

WHAT? WHO? HOW OFTEN? HOW LONG?

Then put a ⭐ beside any need you’ve identified in Section B where you can’t find corresponding provision in Section F.

You may start noticing things you’ve never spotted before.

And don’t panic if you find lots.

We’re preparing early for a reason.

Over the next part of this series, we’ll look at how provision should be written, evidence behind Section F and what you can do if you believe the EHCP needs strengthening before phase transfer.

👇 Have a look at your Section F and tell me: is yours specific—or have you suddenly spotted a lot of vague wording?

💾 Save this post—you’ll want it beside you when you read your EHCP.

❤️ Share it with a parent whose child is approaching phase transfer.

📩 And if looking at your child’s EHCP has raised concerns and you’d like individual support, you’re always welcome to message me.

💛 A little Monday check-in…

It’s a brand new month, and for many families the summer holidays are now well underway.

Whilst social media is full of days out and perfect summer memories, I know the reality for many SEND families can look very different.

We are juggling appointments.

Managing routines.

Trying to regulate behaviours.

Keeping everyone safe.

And somehow, you’re also expected to keep on top of EHCPs, annual reviews, DLA forms, phase transfer, tribunals and endless paperwork.

If you’re feeling like the admin has slipped down your priority list…

Please don’t feel like you have to manage it all alone.

Sometimes, a quick conversation or a bit of guidance is all it takes to help you move forward.

💛 A little update from me…

I’m currently fully booked until the last week of August, and I’m incredibly grateful for the trust so many of you place in me.

However, I always keep a small number of emergency appointments available for families facing urgent deadlines, such as:

📌 DLA or PIP deadlines

📌 EHCP amendments

📌 Annual reviews

📌 Tribunal or appeal deadlines

If you’re worried you’re running out of time, please don’t wait until it’s too late.

Send me a message and, if I can help, I’ll always do my best to fit you in.

💛 Most importantly…

Be kind to yourself this summer.

The paperwork will still be there next week.

Your child won’t remember whether the forms were completed on a Monday or a Thursday.

They’ll remember that you were there.

And that’s enough.

📩 If you need support, advice or simply don’t know where to start, my inbox is always open.

❤️ If this post resonates with you, please give it a share. You never know who might need to hear that they’re not alone today.

And I’ll be sharing some great July results achieved for families later on this week…

📚 Preparing for Phase Transfer – Day 4

Your child is more than their diagnosis 💛

When we think about an EHCP, it’s easy to focus on everything our child struggles with.

Communication.

Sensory differences.

Learning needs.

Anxiety.

Emotional regulation.

And while those needs are incredibly important, your child is so much more than a list of challenges.

Every child has strengths, interests, talents and aspirations—and these deserve to be recognised too.

A good EHCP shouldn’t just tell professionals what your child finds difficult.

It should also help them understand:

✨ What motivates your child.

✨ What they enjoy.

✨ What they’re good at.

✨ What helps them feel safe, regulated and ready to learn.

These strengths can play an important role during phase transfer.

For example…

💻 A child who loves technology may engage better with digital learning.

🎨 A child who enjoys art may communicate more confidently through visual activities.

🐴 A child with a special interest can often use that interest to build relationships with staff and reduce anxiety in a new environment.

Understanding these strengths helps schools build on what already works.

However…

📌 It’s important that your child’s strengths are an honest reflection of who they are.

Sometimes, as parents, we naturally want to focus on everything our child does well—and that’s completely understandable.

But remember, an EHCP is often used as supporting evidence for other applications too, including DLA, Blue Badges, Access Cards, specialist transport and other services.

If strengths are exaggerated or don’t sit consistently alongside the needs described elsewhere in the EHCP, it can create confusion when that evidence is being considered.

The aim isn’t to minimise your child’s achievements.

It’s to paint an accurate, balanced picture.

Celebrate the things they genuinely enjoy.

Recognise what they do well.

Describe what helps them succeed.

But make sure those strengths complement the rest of the EHCP rather than unintentionally weakening the evidence it contains.

The strongest EHCPs are the most honest ones.

They accurately describe both a child’s needs and the wonderful things that make them unique. 💛

💛 Today’s homework

Take a look at your child’s EHCP and ask yourself:

⭐ Does it describe my child as a whole person?

⭐ Are their genuine strengths reflected?

⭐ Would someone reading this understand not only the support they need, but also what helps them thrive?

Sometimes, it’s those little details that make the biggest difference when a new school is getting to know your child.

👇 I’d love to hear from you…

Tell me one thing your child is brilliant at. Let’s celebrate our amazing children together. 💛

❤️ If you know another parent preparing for phase transfer next year, please share this post—it may help them create a more balanced and meaningful EHCP.

📚 Preparing for Phase Transfer – Day 3

Does Section B match the evidence? 📋

In my last post, I asked you to read your child’s EHCP with fresh eyes.

Today, we’re looking at Section B.

Section B is where your child’s special educational needs are described.

It’s one of the most important sections of the EHCP because everything else should flow from it.

But here’s something many parents don’t realise…

Section B shouldn’t just be a list of diagnoses.

It should accurately describe your child’s individual needs, and those needs should be supported by the evidence used to write the EHCP.

So, instead of reading Section B on its own, try comparing it with the professional reports that sit behind it.

These might include:

✔️ Educational Psychology

✔️ Speech and Language Therapy

✔️ Occupational Therapy

✔️ School reports

✔️ Medical advice

As you read them, ask yourself:

🔍 Are all of my child’s identified needs included in Section B?

🔍 Has anything from the reports been missed?

🔍 Does Section B still reflect my child’s needs today?

Remember, children grow and change. If your child’s needs have changed since their EHCP was written, updated evidence may be needed before amendments can be made.

Your views as a parent are incredibly important, but an evidence-based EHCP is always stronger. Professional reports help ensure your child’s needs are fully recognised and accurately described.

💛 Today’s homework

Take one professional report and compare it with Section B.

Highlight anything that:

🖍️ Has been identified in the report but doesn’t appear in Section B.

🖍️ Doesn’t accurately describe your child’s current needs.

🖍️ May need updated professional evidence before the next annual review or phase transfer.

You don’t need to fix everything today.

The aim is simply to understand what your child’s EHCP says now, so you can prepare with confidence.

📩 Want some extra help?

Comment SECTIONB below and I’ll send you my FREE Section B Guide straight to your Messenger. 💛

It explains what Section B should include, common mistakes to look out for, and how to review it alongside the evidence.

👇 Have you ever compared your child’s EHCP with the professional reports it was written from? Let me know in the comments!

❤️ If you know another parent preparing for phase transfer, please share this post—it might help them spot something they’ve missed.

(My apologies as I’ve had a lot of nesssges asking for the next post trying to juggle everything in the summer holidays things are taking a little longer 🫠)

📚 Preparing for Phase Transfer – Day 2

Read your EHCP with fresh eyes 👀

Day 1 , I asked you to find your child’s EHCP.

Today, I want you to …

Read it from start to finish.

Not as your child’s parent.

Not as someone who’s lived every appointment, assessment and meeting.

Read it as if you’ve never seen it before.

Ask yourself…

💭 If I handed this EHCP to a teacher who had never met my child, would they understand exactly who they are and what they need?

Could they picture your child?

Would they know:

✔️ What your child struggles with?

✔️ What support they need?

✔️ What happens if that support isn’t provided?

Or are there lots of vague phrases like…

❌ “Some support.”

❌ “Access to…”

❌ “Opportunities to…”

❌ “When required.”

❌ “As appropriate.”

These words sound reassuring, but they don’t actually tell anyone what must be provided.

Remember…

An EHCP isn’t simply a record of your child’s diagnosis.

It’s a legal document that should clearly describe your child’s needs and the provision they require.

If something isn’t written clearly, it can be much harder to make sure it’s delivered.

💛 Today’s homework:

Read your EHCP with a highlighter.

Highlight anything that makes you stop and think…

🤔 “What does that actually mean?”

or

🤔 “Would someone else know exactly what they’re expected to do?”

Those are the areas we’ll be looking at throughout this series.

📩 Want my FREE EHCP Clarity Pack?

Comment CLARITY below and I’ll send it straight to your Messenger. 💛

It will help you understand what each section of your EHCP means and what to look out for before your child’s phase transfer.

👇 Have you started reading your EHCP yet, or has it been sitting in a drawer? No judgement—we’ve all been there! 💛

❤️ If you know another parent with an EHCP, please share this post with them. It could make all the difference.

🚨 DLA MYTH OR FACT? 🚨

❌ Myth: “If your child runs off, they can’t qualify for Higher Rate Mobility under the Virtually Unable to Walk (VUW) rules.”

I’ve seen this advice shared again today in a Facebook group, and it’s simply not correct.

I’m not posting this to criticise anyone or to prove I’m right.

💛 I’m posting it because parents and carers deserve accurate information when they’re making decisions about their child’s claim.

The law does not say that a child who runs off is automatically excluded from qualifying under the Virtually Unable to Walk (VUW) rules. Whether a child qualifies depends on their individual circumstances, the law, relevant case law, and the evidence provided. (contact.org.uk)

When considering VUW, the DWP should look at factors including:

✔️ Distance
✔️ Speed
✔️ Manner of walking
✔️ Interruptions to walking or making progress on foot
✔️ The overall effect of the child’s condition on their ability to make progress on foot.

For some children, those interruptions may include:

🏃 Running off unexpectedly.

🛑 Stopping suddenly.

⬅️ Changing direction without warning.

😖 Refusing or being unable to continue because of their condition.

So while running off doesn’t automatically mean a child qualifies, it also doesn’t automatically mean they don’t.

Every child must be considered on the facts of their own case.

💛 One of the things I care about most is helping families understand what the law actually says—not what gets repeated in Facebook comments.

If you’ve ever been told, “You can’t claim because…”, I’d love to hear it. There are so many myths out there, and if I can help clear them up, I will.

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*THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED*

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📚 PREPARING FOR PHASE TRANSFER – DAY 1

🚨 Is your child going into a phase transfer year next September?

If they are…

🎒 Nursery ➡️ Primary School

🏫 Primary ➡️ Secondary School

🎓 Secondary ➡️ College or Post-16

So this means transferring in September 2027.

The next few months could be some of the most important in shaping your child’s future education.

Yet every year I see parents making the same mistake…

💬 “I’ll wait until school arrange the annual review.”

💛 Please don’t.

By the time many parents receive that invitation…

📄 Reports need updating.

📚 Evidence needs gathering.

🏫 Schools are already being discussed.

📝 Parent paperwork needs completing.

⏰ Everything suddenly feels rushed.

The strongest phase transfer cases are very rarely built in a weekend.

They’re built over weeks and months.

💛 I’ve supported families through EHCP reviews, mediation and SEND Tribunals across every phase transfer.

One thing I’ve learnt is this…

The parents who feel the most confident by September are the ones who started preparing early.

☀️ Now before you think…

“I haven’t got time for all of this over the summer holidays!”

I completely understand.

As SEND parents, summer is often busier, not quieter.

🌞 Keeping our children regulated.

🏖️ Trying to make memories.

👀 Constant supervision.

🚗 Days out that don’t always go to plan.

😴 Managing sleep… or surviving without much of it!

The last thing I want is for this series to become another overwhelming job on your to-do list.

✨ My aim is actually the opposite.

I’m going to break phase transfer down into small, manageable steps.

One post.

One simple task.

One free resource at a time.

So by the time September arrives…

You’ll already be organised, informed and one step ahead.

📚 Over the next few weeks we’ll cover…

🔍 How I review an EHCP before any phase transfer.

📖 The first things I check—and why.

🧩 How to spot wording that could limit your child’s support.

📄 What evidence is actually worth gathering (and what often isn’t).

👩‍⚕️ Whether updated SALT, OT, EP or medical reports are likely to strengthen your case.

🏫 Choosing the right school or college.

✍️ Writing a strong parent contribution.

💬 Preparing for your annual review.

⚖️ What happens if you disagree with the Local Authority.

🚫 The biggest mistakes I see parents make every year.

💛 Plus lots of practical advice

🎁 You’ll also build your own FREE Phase Transfer Toolkit, including…

✅ EHCP Clarity Pack

✅ EHCP Review Checklists

✅ Section B Review Guide

✅ Section F Review Guide

✅ Evidence Planner

✅ Parent Contribution Planner

✅ Choosing a School Checklist

✅ Annual Review Checklist

…and lots more.

By the end of this series, you’ll have a collection of practical resources to help you feel far more confident navigating your child’s phase transfer.

📝 This week’s little job…

📂 Find your child’s current EHCP.

Don’t start making changes just yet.

Just have it ready.

We’ll work through it together throughout this series, one step at a time.

💛 Need personalised support?

If you’d like me to review your child’s EHCP, identify gaps, help you plan evidence or support you through phase transfer, I’d love to help.

📅 Book before 1st September to secure my current prices before my September price review.

🌟 By the end of this series you’ll have…

✔️ Reviewed your child’s EHCP.

✔️ Identified gaps and areas to strengthen.

✔️ Gathered the right evidence.

✔️ Prepared for your annual review.

✔️ Considered school or college options.

✔️ Built your own Phase Transfer Toolkit.

My hope is that when September arrives…

You’ll feel prepared instead of overwhelmed.

💬 I’d love to know…

Which phase transfer is your child preparing for?

🎒 Nursery ➡️ Primary

🏫 Primary ➡️ Secondary

🎓 Secondary ➡️ College or Post-16

👇 Tell me in the comments.

❤️ If you know another family going through a phase transfer, please share this post with them.

📩 If there’s a topic you’d really like me to cover during this series, pop it in the comments or send me a message. I’d love this series to answer the questions parents are actually asking.

💛 Don’t forget to follow my page so you don’t miss the next part of the series or any of the free resources I’ll be sharing along the way.

📚 Coming up next…

We’ll start with one of the biggest mistakes I see…

Reading an EHCP without really knowing what you’re looking for.

I’ll show you exactly how I review an EHCP before every phase transfer, so you can start looking at your own child’s plan through a completely different lens.