Rulebook · Time limit
Last day to contact a mediation adviser (needed before most appeals)
Before appealing (except about the school or college named only), you must contact the mediation adviser named in the council's letter. You do not have to go to mediation, but you need the certificate the adviser gives you.
- How it is counted
- Within 2 months of the day written notice of the decision was sent: the same date 2 months later, or the last day of a shorter month.
- Whose date it is
- You (the parent or young person)
- What starts it
- The council sent written notice of a decision that can be appealed
- What stops it, with nothing more due
- The council received the appeal from the SEND Tribunal. Only an appeal about the decision this time limit follows ends it. An appeal about a different decision does not.
- Type of rule
- Law (Act or Regulations)
- Rule id
contact_mediation_adviser- Rules version
- england-2026.10
- Law as at
- 30 September 2026
Reg 34(2) counts the 2 months from the date of the notice. If the letter is dated before the day it was sent, count from the date on the letter: the last day may be earlier.
After the last day
If the mediation adviser was not contacted by this date, the Regulations say the adviser may not issue a certificate (reg 34(2)). Without one the Tribunal does not normally accept an appeal (CFA 2014 s 55(3)), except one only about the school or college named (s 55(2)); it can be asked for permission to appeal without one (reg 34(3)). Ask the Tribunal or an adviser straight away.
Sources
- SEND Regulations 2014, reg 33Law (Act or Regulations)
- SEND Regulations 2014, reg 34(2)Law (Act or Regulations)
- Children and Families Act 2014, s 55Law (Act or Regulations)
- SEND Regulations 2014, reg 34(3)Law (Act or Regulations)
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