Templates

Letter templates

Copy any of these letters, fill in the placeholders in square brackets, and send by email (keep a copy). Everything in square brackets — including [Child’s name], [Local authority] and [Today’s date] — is a merge field you replace with your details.

Request a PEP review

Free with a free account → Sign up to download pre-filled

Who to send it to: Send to the Virtual School Head at [Local authority that looks after the child]. Copy in the Designated Teacher and the child's social worker.

What to expect: The Virtual School should respond within 5 working days to confirm a date for the review meeting. A PEP review meeting must happen at least every 6 months and can be brought forward whenever something significant changes.

Dear [Virtual School Head name],

I am writing in my capacity as [foster carer / kinship carer / special guardian / adoptive parent / birth parent with parental responsibility / Personal Adviser] for [Child's name], date of birth [DOB], who is a looked-after child in the care of [Local authority].

I would like to request an early review of [Child's name]'s Personal Education Plan. Since the last PEP meeting on [date of last PEP], the following has changed:

- [Briefly describe the change — e.g. school move, new diagnosis, exclusion, period out of school, reduced timetable, change in placement, concerns from carer or school.]
- [Add a second point if relevant.]

I would be grateful if a PEP review meeting could be arranged within the next 4 weeks. Please could you also confirm:

1. How Pupil Premium Plus has been spent on [Child's name] this academic year, and the impact of that spending.
2. What is currently planned for the remainder of the year.
3. Whether the Designated Teacher and social worker will be attending.

Please send any meeting documents to me at least 3 working days in advance so that I can prepare and so that [Child's name]'s views can be gathered properly.

Yours sincerely,

[Your name]
[Your relationship to the child]
[Your contact details]
[Today's date]

Request that SEND needs be considered within the PEP

Free with a free account → Sign up to download pre-filled

Who to send it to: Send to the Designated Teacher at [Child's school]. Copy in the Virtual School Head and the social worker.

What to expect: The Designated Teacher should add SEND as a standing item on the next PEP and arrange any school-level SEN Support before that meeting. If they decline, escalate to the Virtual School Head and ask for a written reason.

Dear [Designated Teacher name],

I am writing about [Child's name], date of birth [DOB], who is in [year group] at [Child's school]. [Child's name] is a looked-after child in the care of [Local authority].

I am concerned that [Child's name] may have special educational needs that are not currently being recognised or supported. In particular I have noticed:

- [Specific concern 1 — e.g. reading is well below age-expected.]
- [Specific concern 2 — e.g. struggles with transitions and unstructured time.]
- [Specific concern 3 — e.g. has been described as "dysregulated" and is on a behaviour report.]

I would like to request that:

1. Special educational needs are added as a formal agenda item at the next PEP meeting.
2. The SENCO is invited or contributes in writing.
3. The PEP records any current SEN Support, any assessments completed, and any assessments outstanding.
4. We discuss whether an EHCP needs assessment should be requested.
5. Pupil Premium Plus spending is reviewed in light of these concerns.

I appreciate that trauma and SEND can look similar, and I want to make sure that both possibilities are considered properly for [Child's name].

Yours sincerely,

[Your name]
[Your relationship to the child]
[Your contact details]
[Today's date]

Request an EHCP needs assessment for a child in care

Free with a free account → Sign up to download pre-filled

Who to send it to: Send to the SEN Team at [Local authority where the child lives]. Copy in the Virtual School Head, the social worker, and the school SENCO. If you are not the person with parental responsibility, ask the social worker or Virtual School Head to make or co-sign the request — but you can still write in support.

What to expect: The local authority has 6 weeks to decide whether to carry out the assessment, under section 36 of the Children and Families Act 2014. If they refuse, you (or the person with PR) have the right to appeal to the SEND Tribunal.

Dear SEN Team,

I am writing under section 36 of the Children and Families Act 2014 to request an Education, Health and Care needs assessment for:

Child's name: [Child's name]
Date of birth: [DOB]
Current school: [Child's school]
Year group: [year group]
Looked-after status: [e.g. Section 31 care order / Section 20 voluntary arrangement]
Responsible local authority: [Local authority that looks after the child]

I am writing in my capacity as [foster carer / kinship carer / special guardian / adoptive parent / birth parent with parental responsibility / young person / Personal Adviser] for [Child's name].

I believe [Child's name] has, or may have, special educational needs that call for special educational provision to be made through an EHC plan. In summary:

- [Needs / diagnoses — e.g. autism, ADHD, attachment difficulties, developmental trauma, speech and language delay, learning difficulty, social/emotional/mental health needs.]
- [Evidence — e.g. school SEN Support plan, Educational Psychology report dated [date], CAMHS letter dated [date], paediatric report dated [date], PEPs, attendance, exclusions, reduced timetable.]
- [Why current support is not enough — e.g. progress has stalled, [Child's name] is not coping despite SEN Support, school has used Pupil Premium Plus on what is effectively SEND provision, a transition is approaching.]

As a looked-after child, [Child's name] has experienced significant disruption. I would ask that any assessment looks at both developmental trauma and underlying special educational needs, as the two can mask one another.

Please confirm receipt of this request and the date by which you will decide whether to proceed (the statutory deadline is 6 weeks from today). I would be grateful if you would copy in:

- [Virtual School Head name and email]
- [Social worker name and email]
- [SENCO name and email]

Yours sincerely,

[Your name]
[Your relationship to the child]
[Your contact details]
[Today's date]