Rulebook · Way to challenge
Mediation about health care in the plan
If the disagreement includes health care in the plan, or health care missing from it, mediation can include the health body. This is usually the integrated care board. If the issues are only about health care, the health body arranges the mediation. Health parts of the plan cannot be appealed on their own, so mediation is one way to discuss them with the health body.
Who can use it: The parent of a child, or a young person, after being told of the right to mediation (with an appealable decision, or when a plan is made, amended or replaced). Time limit: If the issues are only about health care, the health body must arrange mediation within 30 days of receiving the council's notice, which the council must send within 3 working days of being told. If education or social care issues are included, the council arranges mediation with the health body within 30 days of being told. If the disagreement is that health care is missing from the plan, the law requires the request to the council to say what health care is wanted in the plan.
- Alongside other ways
- It can be combined with mediation about education issues, run alongside NHS complaints, and come before an appeal about other parts of the plan (where health recommendations can also be asked for).
- Cost
- No fee: the law sets none for the family. The body arranging the mediation must also pay the parent's or young person's expenses of attending, such as travel, loss of earnings, a registered carer and overnight stays, at the rates and up to the amounts the Regulations set. It can require the expenses to be agreed in advance, or backed by evidence, or both.
What it can do
- The health body can agree to change the health care provision in section G.
What it cannot do
- It cannot make the health body agree.
- It is not an appeal, and the health body is not bound to change anything without agreement.
- Type of rule
- Law (Act or Regulations)This is the law, set by an Act of Parliament or by Regulations.
- Rule id
route.health_mediation- Rules version
- england-2026.10
- Law as at
- 30 September 2026
Sources
- Children and Families Act 2014, s 53Law (Act or Regulations)
- Children and Families Act 2014, s 52(2)Law (Act or Regulations)
- Children and Families Act 2014, s 52(4)Law (Act or Regulations)
- Children and Families Act 2014, s 53(3)Law (Act or Regulations)
- Children and Families Act 2014, s 53(4)Law (Act or Regulations)
- Children and Families Act 2014, s 53(5)Law (Act or Regulations)
- SEND Regulations 2014, reg 35(2)Law (Act or Regulations)
- SEND Regulations 2014, reg 35(3)Law (Act or Regulations)
- SEND Regulations 2014, reg 35(4)Law (Act or Regulations)
- SEND Regulations 2014, reg 41Law (Act or Regulations)
- SEND Code of Practice 2015, para 11.34Code of Practice: must (restates the law)
- Children and Families Act 2014, s 42(3)Law (Act or Regulations)
Related
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