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| Happy Holidays from Richard and Shadow |
Supporting families through a changing education landscape
Between October and November, our Helpline supported almost 500 people seeking advice, information and reassurance. We have focused firmly on access and responsiveness; call-answer rates have improved from 10% in October 2024 to 29% in October this year. That’s progress, though we’re not pretending its job done, there is still far more demand than capacity.
Our advice centres have been noticeably busier, with more families using face-to-face support to help them navigate increasingly complex situations. To strengthen this further, we have launched a dedicated Grounds of Appeal team. They have already been working with families to prepare clearer, stronger cases and ensure their voices are properly heard.
Alongside direct advice, we are expanding practical learning opportunities. Our programme of webinars continues to grow, covering common challenges and frequent points of confusion in the SEND process. We will be running a promotion in December to make these sessions more affordable at a time when many families are feeling the financial squeeze.
We would not be able to offer any of this without external support. Recent funding includes:
- $10,000 corporate donation from Vitol
- £8,000 from the Barbera Ward Foundation, supporting the launch of our first virtual advice centre for adopters, special guardians and foster carers
- £8,000 from the Bailey Thomas Foundation and £5,735 from the Eveson Trust, both helping to secure the future of our Helpline
We now have 114 volunteers working with SOS!SEN, which is a significant milestone. Their commitment makes an enormous difference; it allows us to speak to more families, run more sessions and respond more effectively. Growth brings challenges, but it also brings momentum. We would not be able to do the work that we do and to support the number of families that we do, without the amazing volunteers we have dedicating their time.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed time, funding or expertise. There’s still a long way to go in ensuring families receive the support they deserve, but together we’re pushing forward.
For those of you who celebrate, I wish you the very best Christmas, for those who don’t, I hope you still get to enjoy some downtime and a chance to recharge.
Richard Orchard-Rowe, CEO
