Rook Irwin Sweeney's Alex Rook and Katie Sinclair alongside @stevebroach.bsky.social and Francesca Gardner of 39 Essex Chambers act for the parents of a young man known as HDEB in an application for welfare deputyship which has now been ‘leapfrogged’ to the Court of Appeal. (1/2)

Join us! We are recruiting for a full time education solicitor (minimum 2 years PQE) for a fixed 12 month contract. Apply by 5pm on 8 April 2026 - further details here: rookirwinsweeney.co.uk/careers/

SEND reforms consultation: we have received a response from the Secretary of State for Education on our client’s letter before claim - our Polly Sweeney provides an update in the Law Society Gazette here www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/plan-to... #education #SEND

Plan to hobble SEND Tribunal a done deal, government admits

Position at odds with education secretary's statement that consultation happens 'before any final decisions are made'.

lawgazette.co.uk

Rook Irwin Sweeney@ris-law.bsky.social · 5mo ago

We have been instructed to send a letter before claim to the Secretary of State for Education, challenging the Government’s SEND reforms consultation on the basis that it is unfair and irrational. Further details here: rookirwinsweeney.co.uk/first-steps-...

Who are your legal aid heroes? Nominate them NOW for a #LALY26 award. We recognise not just solicitors and barristers but case workers, paralegals, legal execs, and (drum roll 🥁) support staff, often the true unsung heroes of social justice. Deadline 21 April 🗓️ lapg.co.uk/laly-awards/...

We are in the Court of Appeal today challenging Devon County Council's closure of 'vital' mental health drop in services. @ris-law.bsky.social's Rosie Campbell and @anne-marieirwin.bsky.social and @stevebroach.bsky.social and Eleanor Leydon, both of @39essexchambers.bsky.social, are instructed. 1/2

The number of SEND complaints upheld by the councils watchdog has leapt by a quarter in one year In 2025, the Local Government Ombudsman upheld 1,315 SEND complaints, up 26% on 2024, and more than five times the 236 upheld in 2021 By me, for Schools Week: schoolsweek.co.uk/upheld-send-...

Upheld SEND complaints rise 25% in a year

Statistics 'expose the extent to which LAs continue to fail children and young people with SEND'

schoolsweek.co.uk

REGISTER NOW! SNJ’s Schools White Paper SEND Legal Roundtable with @stevebroach.bsky.social Hayley Mason-Seager, IPSEA & SOS!SEN: www.specialneedsjungle.com/r...

Pleased to be supporting the brilliant team @ris-law.bsky.social with this important case, challenging the lawfulness of the recently launched SEND consultation on fairness and rationality grounds

Special Needs Jungle@spcialndsjungle.bsky.social · 5mo ago

NEW POST: A parent has launched a legal challenge against the Schools White Paper's #SEND consultation. @catrionamoore.bsky.social writes about the action's claim of an “irrational, unfair” fundamental change that “significantly weakens" children's legal rights www.specialneedsjungle.com/l...

We're delighted to partner with @publiclawproject.bsky.social & @39essexchambers.bsky.social on this training based on our book 'Making Lawful Decisions' by @stevebroach.bsky.social and @torbc.bsky.social. Book now to secure your place & receive a discount on the book: shorturl.pulse.ly/mltceu8krj

Public Law Project@publiclawproject.bsky.social · 10mo ago

🔔 𝐆𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐚𝐰𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 📅 4, 6, 11 & 14 Nov | Zoom 4 webinars for decision-makers! In partnership with @legalactiongroup.bsky.social & @39essexchambers.bsky.social. Book now: https://shorturl.pulse.ly/mltceu8krj

Interested to see what part of the EHCP process Ministers may think we don’t need - is it the part where: - we identify all the child’s special educational needs? - we specify the provision reasonably required to meet those needs? - the child gets the right to attend a suitable school? #SEND

Both Jen and Katie are richly deserving of their place in the #LALY25 final, I’ll be there cheering them on

Rook Irwin Sweeney@ris-law.bsky.social · last yr.

Very proud of our lawyers Jennifer Wright @jentwright.bsky.social and Katie Sinclair, finalists in this year's Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year awards - Jennifer for Public Law and Katie for Legal Aid Newcomer. A testament to their fantastic work for our legal aid clients @lalyawards.bsky.social #LALY25

We were recently instructed in a proposed #JudicialReview to Kent County Council’s “Special Schools Review” (a proposal to redesignate 7 special schools). Following pre-action correspondence sent on behalf of affected families, Kent has agreed not to take any steps to implement the decision. [1/2]

An excellent piece from @johnharris1969.bsky.social in The @newstatesman.com on his family's SEND struggles. High praise for SNJ's "battle-hardened SEND veterans" ”Don’t take away children’s rights, because if you do, you'll have a hell of a fight on your hands.” www.newstatesman.com/politic...

The special needs trap

What one parent’s experience reveals about a system on the brink of collapse.

newstatesman.com

I don’t think it’s a bad idea to bring NHSE’s functions back directly under the Sec of State - but when I think about the amount of secondary legislation and guidance that refers to NHSE, the task of fixing that isn’t one that strikes me as simple

@ris-law.bsky.social's Alex Rook and Rosie Campbell are delivering a free webinar on behalf of @babicmorg.bsky.social on 18 March between 12pm-1pm during #NutritionandHydrationWeek, exploring the complex issue of capacity to make informed choices about diet #mentalcapacity 1/2

ALLFIE’s Inclusive Education Conference 2024 was a memorable event! Marking 10 years of the Children and Families Act, @stevebroach.bsky.social explained how Disabled people and families can advocate for mainstream education using the Act. Watch on playback: youtu.be/BNXhvwxaMdc?... 🧵2/12

Inclusive Education Conference 2024 | Guest speaker Steve Broach KC

YouTube video by ALLFIE UK

youtu.be

Important JR hearing this week on the lawfulness of SEND ‘safety valve’ agreements entered into by Bristol and Devon councils. I act for the Bristol claimant and one Devon claimant with Alice Irving and Watkins solicitors, @ris-law.bsky.social team for the second Devon claimant

This settlement emphasises the need for decisions made by local authorities in the child protection context to respect human rights www.39essex.com/information-...

Disabled child’s human rights breached by issuing of care proceedings

We are a leading set of barristers` chambers based in London, Manchester, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. We offer a depth of expertise in a variety of specialist legal sectors and practice areas.

39essex.com

📣FREE event: Learn about the United Nation Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), @stevebroach.bsky.social discrimination specialist lawyer will be speaking about why the CRPD should be UK law. gmcdp.com/civicrm/even...

If you’re not already engaged on 22 October, where you want to be is with Legal Action Group, @39essexchambers.bsky.social myself and a cast of stellar legal talent at our Community Care Conference - info and ticket link here www.lag.org.uk/events/ticke...

Concerning judgment - private facility depriving mental health patient of his liberty not exercising public functions, so Human Rights Act did not apply. Apparently no argument that given Care Act s73, all public funded care must come within HRA to avoid Art 14 breach bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/…

As school begins in England, periodic reminder that schools which choose to reward 100% attendance without equally rewarding disabled children who cannot achieve this for disability related reasons may well be breaching the Equality Act and the Human Rights Act

Thrilled to make it up to That London for the launch of Virginia Bovell’s memoire and manifesto Danny’s People - an essential history and call for action on human rights and neurodiversity

As our publishers don’t seem to be on here yet, shamelessly promoting the new book from @torbc.bsky.social and I (and a team of fabulous contributors) on lawful decision making Can be pre-ordered here www.lag.org.uk/shop/product...

Points of interest in TS v Hackney, (LA’s decisions on care needs of severely disabled teenage girl overturned) - assessments must involve analysis not merely info gathering - permission refused on papers, granted on oral renewal, claim allowed on all grounds rookirwinsweeney.co.uk/high-court-f...

High Court finds LB Hackney in breach of duties to disabled child | Rook Irwin Sweeney - Public Law....

rookirwinsweeney.co.uk