Stage 1: Review by Senior Officer

• A parent has 20 working days to make a request to appeal the decision.  
• The appeal should provide the reasons for challenging the Council’s refusal of assistance or changes to proposed arrangements and include any supporting evidence.  
• Within 20 working days of receipt of a parent’s appeal the appeal application is reviewed by a Senior Officer at the Council  
• The original decision may be upheld or overturned.  
• Written notification of the decision will be sent out within 5 working days of the decision being made.  

To submit a stage 1 appeal please complete the online form.

Please note, during the appeals stages, we will not provide help with travel or make changes to existing support. If you are not happy with the outcome of stage 1 you can appeal the decision and submit a stage 2 appeal.

Stage 2 Appeal: Review by Independent Appeals Panel 

• A parent has 20 working days from receipt of the Council’s stage 1 decision to make a request for a stage 2 appeal.  
• This appeal should provide the reasons for challenging the decision and any new supporting evidence if applicable.  
• Stage 2 appeals are heard by an appropriately trained independent panel which will be convened within 40 working days of receipt of the parents request for an appeal.  
• The parent will be invited to attend the hearing and will be informed of the final decision in writing within 5 working days.  

To submit a stage 2 appeal please complete the online form.

Please note, during the appeals stages, we will not provide help with travel or make changes to existing support. If you are not happy with the outcome of stage 2 you can make a complaint to The Local Government Ombudsman. 

Complaints to The Local Government Ombudsman

If an applicant considers that there is a failure to comply with procedural rules or if there are any other irregularities in the way the appeal is handled, they have a right to complain to the Local Government Ombudsman. The Local Government and Ombudsman Advice Team can be contacted: 

• By Telephone: 0845 602 1983 
• In writing: Local Government Ombudsman, PO Box 4771, Coventry, CV4 0EH

If a parent considers the decision of the independent panel to be flawed on public law grounds, they may apply for a judicial review.