Education Grants
Information and Advice

ACE (Advisory Centre for Education)

ACE provides free independent advice and support for parents and carers of children aged 5-16 in state-funded education.

This can include issues over exclusions, admissions, attendance, bullying and Special Educational Needs.

A range of advice booklets are available to download from their website. They also operate an advice telephone helpline: 0808 800 5793 Monday to Friday (10am to 4pm).

www.ace-ed.org.uk 

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BPP School Exclusion Project

The BPP School Exclusions Project offers free advice and representation to parents whose children have been excluded from school, whether permanently or for a fixed term.

Student reps from BPP receive detailed training and have access to guidance from Stephen Broach(Barrister) and colleagues at the Doughty Street Chambers. They support families from the earliest stages in any appeal to the school governors through hearings at Independent Appeal Panels.

In the past three years the student reps have achieved some fantastic results, including winning cases for children with very complex needs. At present their referrals seem to have slowed down - yet there is no suggestion the number of children being excluded from school is decreasing.

Any family who may want representation simply needs to email the project address above - schoolexclusions@my.bpp.com - and a referral form will be sent straight out.

Alternatively contact: Doughty Street Chambers, 53-54 Doughty Street, London, WC1N 2LS Telephone: 020 7404 1313

Steve Broach was Legal Aid lawyer of the year 2011 and focuses on the rights of children (especially disabled children) and disabled adults.

He was also co-author of Disabled Children - A Legal Handbook (with Luke Clements and Janet Read).

www.doughtystreet.co.uk

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Family Action - Educational Grants Services

Family Action runs the Educational Grants Services (EGS) which specialises in identifying educational funding from charities and helping students with their database of charities and trusts.

It services includes:

• Educational Grants Funding - providing small grants of approximately £200-£300 to families and low income individuals. Applicants must be studying at one of the institutions affiliated to the scheme.

• Educational Grants Search - A database of grants from charities and trusts.

• Telephone Information Service - 020 7241 7459 (2pm to 4pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday only)

In the first instance you must undertake the Educational Grants Search by answering a number of on-line questions to establish your eligibility for a grant. Depending on you answers you may be able to print an application form.

www.family-action.org.uk

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IPSEA (Independent Parental Special Education Advice)

IPSEA is a national charity providing free and independent legal advice to families with children with Special Educational Needs (SEN).

It provides details on what you need to know and template letters to cover all steps of the assessment and statementing of a child with SEN.

They have recently published 40 new online advice sheets/case studies to help parents take action and resolve common SEN issues. They are based on the FAQ from their Helpline and can be downloaded individually from their website.

Further support is provided through their free telephone helplines:

• Advice line: 0800 018 4016

• Tribunal Helpline: 0845 602 9579

Case worker volunteers can also give individual support to families with the tribunal process.

www.ipsea.org.uk

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Parent Partnership Services (PPS)

The National network of Parent Partnership Services are statutory services providing information and advice to parents and carers of children with Special Educational Needs (SEN).

The services offered are all confidential and impartial. They are there to guide parents through the complex assessment of SEN and provide support at meetings.

To find your local Parent Partnership Service click here.

www.parentpartnership.org.uk

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SKILL at Disability Rights

Disability Rights (formally Disability Alliance) has recently taken on some of the services previously provided by SKILL, an organisation supporting disabled people who want to go into further and higher education.

It is providing free on-line information and fact sheets for disabled students, families and professionals.

There is a telephone helpline: 0800 328 5050 and lines are open Tuesday (11.30am - 1.30pm) and Thursday (1.30pm - 3.30pm).

You can also e-mail: skill4disabledstudents@disabilityalliance.org

www.disability-rights.org

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Now check out the other pages.....

Educational Grants for Schools 

Grants for Higher Education 

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