Neuroaffirmative SEND Support & Advocacy in Brighton, Sussex & Beyond
Why Canary SEND exists
If you’re here, chances are you’re already exhausted from fighting a system that should be supporting you. You've been told to wait, try harder, or accept less - while watching your child struggle in environments that don't match their needs.
The canary in the coal mine wasn't the problem - it was the early warning signal that the environment was unsafe.
When disabled and neurodivergent children struggle in schools, they're not failing. They're showing us the system needs to change.
Canary SEND exists to help families take that signal seriously - to challenge unlawful decisions and secure the support children need to thrive.
The Canary SEND Approach
Every case combines strategic legal expertise with genuine understanding of what families face:
Child-first → Every action centres your child's rights and needs, not system convenience
Neuroaffirmative & trauma-aware → Respecting difference while recognising the emotional toll this journey takes
Ethical & transparent → If your budget would be better spent elsewhere, or a free resource will suffice, you'll hear that honestly
Strategic & practical → Law translated into action that gets results, not just quotes regulations
Relational, not transactional → Understanding your family's story, not watching the clock
Families often tell me the biggest difference is seeing these principles change what happens on the ground - documents that dignify their child, meetings where needs are finally heard, strategies that are harder to dismiss.
Discover what "neuroaffirmative" really means
Whether you are…
Managing school anxiety, “school refusal,” or emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA).
Fighting for an education health and care plan (EHCP) or trying to strengthen a weak one.
Exploring education other than at school (EOTAS) or alternative provision when school is no longer possible.
Exhausted from carrying deadlines, evidence, and advocacy alone.
Canary SEND is here to support you.