Our team
ANNA
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Tribunal Co-ordinator
Anna brings over 30 years of experience in SEND education, working as a teacher, SENCo, senior school leadership and within Local Authorities. She has supported national organisations by providing educational legal advice and advocacy for families, including specialist support for First Tier SEND Tribunals.
Her expertise covers all areas of SEND, with particular strengths in supporting children and young people with care experience, SEND Tribunals, Section 19 Alternative Provision, and cases involving both education and social care needs.
Alongside her professional background, Anna is also a parent of a young adult with SEND. This personal experience drives her commitment to helping families achieve the best possible outcomes for their children. Anna ensures families are empowered to have the very best information, support, resources, and professional advocacy for their own children. This is and will always be at the heart of everything we do.
SARAH
COMPANY DIRECTOR
EHCP Co-ordinator
Sarah qualified as an NNEB in 1988 and has worked in Early Years for over 35 years, including roles as a SENCO, Safeguarding Lead, in adult SEND education and training, and in early years consultantcy. Her passion for SEND became personal after her son was born in 2004, giving her first hand insight into complex health needs, physical disabilities, specific learning difficulties, and working in collaboration with solicitors for Judicial Review.
In addition to her experience of all areas of SEND education, Sarah has specialist expertise in supporting families through all stages of the EHCP process, including EHC Needs Assessments, draft/EHCP checks, coproduction, Annual Reviews, and EOTAS.
Sarah is deeply committed to our ethos that we are and always will be Stronger Together.
AMY
EHCP SUPPORT ADVOCATE
Amy has young children with SEND and so understands how difficult this journey is to navigate as a parent. With a background specialising in employment law, and local government, Amy has a strong understanding of how to challenge Local Authority decisions effectively.
Fully IPSEA level 3 qualified, Amy supports families to receive the best possible outcomes for their children, preventing the need for a tribunal hearing wherever possible. However, should an appeal become necessary her expertise and compassionate approach provide ongoing support throughout the process.
Amy specialises in Education and Health Care Needs Assessments, all Tribunal appeals to include working document support, School Suspensions, Disability Discrimination support and complaints against schools and Local Authorities
CLAUDINE
EHCP SUPPORT ADVOCATE
In addition to personal experience as a parent of children with SEND, Claudine has over 10 years' experience working with children and families within SEND.
Claudine has taught in mainstream and independent, supported students with complex needs with EOTAS tutoring, taught in pupil referral units and alternative provision and was Head of Sixth Form at a specialist independent school. She is a qualified Play Therapist and TEACCH practitioner, specialising in students with ASD and Dyslexia, offering families intensive support alongside schools.
As a specialist trauma-informed practitioner and teacher, she has supported schools and agencies in developing diverse practices and appropriate resources, for greater inclusivity. Claudine is also IPSEA trained. Claudine specialises supporting families in and preparation for Annual Reviews, and DLA/PIP support.
STEPH
EHCP SUPPORT ADVOCATE
Steph has over 25 years’ experience supporting children, young people and families with SEND, including complex trauma and mental health needs. She has professional experience as a SENCO, schools inspector, and as the Headteacher of both mainstream and specialist provision.
Steph also has lived experience as a parent of a neurodivergent child. She understands how overwhelming the process can feel and is committed to making it clearer, more human and more empowering for families.
She is passionate about standing alongside families and helping them advocate effectively, because no family should feel alone on their SEND journey.
Steph specialises in Education and Health Care Needs Assessments, all Tribunal appeals to include working document support, School Suspensions, Disability Discrimination support and complaints against schools and Local Authorities
BETHEN
FAMILIES SUPPORT ADVOCATE AND POST 16 SPECIALIST
Bethen has over 20 years’ experience supporting children, young people and families, including more than 10 years in Alternative Provision and EOTAS.
She specialises in working with complex and trauma-related needs, building strong, trusting relationships to achieve positive outcomes.
Bethen is highly experienced in multi-agency working, collaborating closely with local authorities and partner services, and supporting families to navigate EHCP and SEND processes.
With specialist expertise in transitions and post-16 pathways, she develops tailored programmes that meet individual needs, helping families move forward with clarity and confidence.
LILLIE
DIGITAL AND DESIGN MANAGER
Lillie is a digital marketer based in the UK with extensive experience in Graphics, Web Design, and Social Media management.
Having Graduated from The University of Warwick with a master's degree in Global Media and Communications, Lillie supports Empowering Families' digital strategy, and within the EHCP department.
Alongside this, Lillie brings a very personal experience, as her brother has complex SEND, and she herself has a physical disability and is hearing impaired. This had brought a deep understanding and a strong personal connection to the support that Empowering Families of Children with SEND provides to families like her own.
LEANNE
FACEBOOK ADMIN MANAGER
Leanne has two young children with SEND, both with EHCPs, which gives her a deep understanding of the challenges families face every day. Her eldest is now thriving in a Specialist Independent school. Professionally, she is an experienced NNEB and IPSEA level 3 qualified.
Leanne is a pivotal member of our team, supporting our Drop In events, collaborating with our Digital and Design manager, and ensuring that current concerns of our community are always addressed with expertise and compassion.
You will find Leanne on our Facebook page every day, supporting our SEND families. Providing professional legal advocacy support, Leanne ensures that all current community concerns are fed back to Anna and Sarah helping them to inform the future support Empowering Families of Children with SEND provides.
REBECCA
BUSINESS ADMIN MANAGER
Rebecca has been with Empowering Families of Children with SEND since the start of 2024. She’s often the first point of contact for parents, making sure every email is answered with care, understanding, and compassion, so families feel supported from the moment they reach out.
With a wealth of experience in administration and her organisational skills, Rebecca manages day-to-day communication and ensures services are booked quickly and smoothly, prioritising workloads to meet tight deadlines. She keeps everything running seamlessly behind the scenes.
Rebecca loves being part of a team that makes a real difference for SEND families and takes pride in helping parents feel heard and reassured.
CLARE
EHCP ADMIN SUPPORT
Following her graduation from Durham University, Clare spent a decade working in financial services. Clare then took a career break to care for her two young sons, the eldest of which has a diagnosis of ASD.
Having applied for and obtained an EHCP for her son, Clare has personal experience of the challenges families of children with SEND face when navigating the system.
Clare plays an essential role supporting families with providing information on the choice of services, acting as a first point of contact and ensuring all relevant information is ready for bespoke EHCP services.
TOMASIN
BUSINESS SUPPORT AND
EVENTS MANAGER
Tomasin brings over 25 years of experience in business support, project management, and operations. She loves helping businesses run smoothly by streamlining processes and creating systems that work uniquely for each.
Her SEND journey began in 2015 when her youngest was diagnosed with ADHD. After successfully securing an EHCP in 2017, Tomasin became passionate about supporting families like hers. In 2024, she joined Empowering Families as Events Manager.
Today, Tomasin keeps everything ticking behind the scenes, handling finance, events, admin, and business management, so the team can focus on making a difference.
Our vision
Our vision is to empower SEND families throughout their journey towards securing the best possible education, support and outcomes for their children.
We aim to create a world where every child with SEND can access the resources, services, and legal protections they need to thrive. Through our personal and professional expertise in SEND education systems, processes, and laws, we aspire to empower families to advocate for their children's unique needs confidently.
By sharing our knowledge, fostering resilience, and building solid partnerships, we envision a future where SEND children and young adults achieve excellent outcomes and lead fulfilling lives and where SEND families no longer feel isolated but are part of a supportive community.
Our mission
We are dedicated to empowering families to become effective advocates for their children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Drawing upon our extensive experience in education, SEND law, advocacy and as SEND parents, our unwavering commitment is to support families in achieving the best possible outcomes for their children.
We understand first-hand the isolation and challenges that families face in navigating the SEND education system, and we work closely with them to prevent overwhelm while securing the outcomes their children deserve.
At the heart of our mission is the belief that every child, regardless of their SEND diagnosis, should have the opportunity to reach their full potential and fulfil their aspirations.
