How to write to the Local Authority about missed SEND provision

When an EHCP names specific support, families rightly expect it to show up in the timetable, therapy diary, or classroom—not only on paper. Writing to your Local Authority (LA) is one calm way to put delivery gaps on record and ask for a clear plan to fix them. Nothing here predicts what the LA will decide; it simply helps you communicate in a way that is easier for professionals to follow and for you to rely on later if matters escalate.

When this guide applies

• Your child has an EHCP in England.
• Provision listed in the plan is not being delivered as written—whether reduced, delayed, inconsistent, or absent—or you have been told it cannot happen without a lawful amendment you do not accept.
• You want to contact the LA in writing in a factual, dated way (email is usually fine).

This guide focuses on England. The LA holds statutory duties around the plan; schools and settings usually deliver day-to-day provision, so your letter may need to reference both. For how promises on paper relate to timetables and capacity, see our provision mapping guide. For wider legal framing, see SEND rights for parents. Official references we cite across the site are listed on Sources.

Before you write: check what the EHCP actually says

Open the latest final or amended EHCP and note the exact wording in Section F (and any related sections such as B or E that explain why that provision exists). Copy the lines you rely on word for word if you can—paraphrasing invites confusion. Check the date on the cover or decision letter so everyone is looking at the same version. If you are unsure whether wording is specific enough to enforce, that is a separate legal question; charities such as IPSEA or SENDIASS can help you interpret next steps.

Work out what has been missed

List each gap in plain English: what the plan says, what usually should happen, and what actually happened (or did not). One row per issue is enough at first. If the school has given reasons—staff absence, training weeks, “embedded in class”—note them neutrally; you are describing the pattern, not scoring points. If you have already emailed the school or SENCO, say so and keep copies.

Keep the difference clear: promised vs delivered

Busy officers skim for mismatch: plan language versus reality. A simple table—Section F line, promised frequency, what occurred, date/source—often speaks louder than a long essay. That is the same discipline we describe in our provision mapping guide. Stay factual; you do not need to prove bad faith to show that support named in the plan is not happening.

What to include in your email or letter

• Who your child is and which setting they attend (year group or phase helps).
• Which EHCP version you mean and its date.
• The exact provision wording you say is not being met.
• A short chronology of what has been missed, with dates where possible.
• Who you have already contacted at school or health, if relevant, and when.
• What you want the LA to do next—in practical terms (review, monitoring letter to the school, interim steps, etc.).
• A reasonable date by which you ask for a written reply.

Keep tone steady. You are building a thread future readers can follow, including you on a tired evening months later.

What evidence to attach

Attachments do not need to be endless. Prefer dated items that tie directly to each gap: emails from school, timetables, therapy attendance summaries, meeting notes, or a short log you have kept. Label files clearly ("2026-03-14 email re SALT"). Our EHCP evidence guide explains how to organise material so it stays usable. You can also use the free provision gap report layout on Downloads to summarise promised versus delivered before you paste the highlights into your email.

What outcome to ask for

Ask for responses you can verify: a written summary of how the LA will secure delivery, a date for a review meeting, a named officer’s reply, or clarification of who funds a disputed therapy—not vague reassurance. You may request that the LA liaises with the school or clinical providers; you cannot control their internal routing, but you can ask for accountability and timescales. If part of the dispute belongs in the school complaints route, our school SEND complaints guide explains how that lane interacts with EHCP duties—many families use both routes in parallel where appropriate.

Template: email to the Local Authority about missed SEND provision

Send via your LA’s published SEND contact route. Use the subject line style your council prefers; keep everything on one email thread where possible.

Before sending, check you have included:

• Child's name and date of birth if your LA routinely uses both on casework.
• The EHCP date (and amendment date if relevant).
• Exact Section F wording where possible—not only a vague summary.
• Dates provision was missed or reduced.
• Who was contacted already (school, therapist, etc.).
• A clear request—what you want the LA to do.
• Attachments or a numbered list of what you are sending.
• A deadline for response that is reasonable in the circumstances.

What to do if there is no response

Send a short, polite chase that quotes your earlier email’s date and restates your deadline—still factual, still dated. Escalation options depend on your case: LA complaints procedures, disagreement resolution, discussion with SENDIASS, or—where the dispute is about the plan itself—appeal routes to the tribunal. None of those steps erase the value of a calm first letter; they often build on it. Take advice early if a statutory deadline might apply.

How Send Dossier can help keep the record organised

A single timeline of emails, meetings, and provision notes saves you from hunting through folders when you need to chase or summarise gaps for a review. Send Dossier is built for that pattern: log events, compare promised support to what happened, and export packs when you need them. You can start a free Send Dossier record whenever you are ready—nothing here replaces legal advice, but organised records usually make hard conversations slightly easier.

This guide is for general information only and is not legal advice. For advice about your situation, contact IPSEA, SENDIASS, SOS!SEN, a solicitor or another qualified adviser.