SEND Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Service (MDRS)

The MDRS contract is specifically linked to decisions about education, health, and care needs assessments and education, health, and care plans (EHCP), while disagreement resolution services can be used to try to resolve other issues in relation to your child's special educational needs (SEN). The Children and Families Act 2014 and the related Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0-25 years (SEND code of practice) (DfE, 2015) place an emphasis on the avoidance of disagreements through a person-centred approach to decision-making and open communication between professionals and parents and young people. It is an alternative to a Tribunal hearing and is much quicker and less formal. Mediation enables people to communicate better with each other, and it can help re-build relationships that have broken down. Parents and young people need to consider mediation before they can register an appeal with the first-tier tribunal (special educational needs and disability). Parents and young people will also be able to go to mediation about the health and social care elements of an education, health, and care (EHC) plan.