Why Sarah Lyons Chose Expert Witness EHCP Work

What is an EHCP—and why expert evidence matters

An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is a legal document for children and young people (0–25) who need more support than a school can typically provide through standard SEN provision.

When communication needs are misunderstood or under-specified, the impact can be huge:

• A child’s needs may be described too vaguely
• Provision may be reduced to generic “support” rather than specialist intervention
• Outcomes may be unrealistic, unmeasurable, or not linked to the child’s day-to-day functioning
• Families can be left fighting for what should have been clear from the start

In EHCP processes, and especially in appeals; evidence is everything. Expert speech and language therapy evidence can clarify what a child needs, why they need it, and what provision is required for meaningful progress.

What Makes an Expert Witness Speech and Language Therapy Report Different?

While both are rooted in clinical expertise, they serve very different purposes. An Expert Witness report is not simply a “more detailed” assessment; it is a specialist piece of independent professional evidence designed for legal processes such as EHCP reviews, mediation, and SEND Tribunals. This distinction shapes everything about how the report is written, structured, and defended.

A standard SLT report supports therapy and education. An Expert Witness SLT report provides independent, legally robust opinion for formal decision making.

Crucially, this work requires specialist legal training; including Bond Solon postgraduate training in Excellence in Report Writing and Cross-Examination Techniques; to ensure reports meet the highest clinical and legal standards. Expert Witness reports may be scrutinised in tribunal or court, they carry a higher level of professional accountability so the Speech and Language Therapist must be prepared to justify their conclusions and, if required, give oral evidence to support them.

That’s why our EHCP and expert witness work is never “just paperwork.” It’s about:

• Making a child’s communication profile understandable to non-clinicians
• Ensuring recommendations are evidence based and defensible
• Translating needs into provision that is specific, measurable, and implementable
• Supporting families, local authorities and legal teams with clinical expertise, clarity, professionalism.

What SL Therapy London offers: Expert Witness + EHCP services

SL Therapy London provides a complete, clinically rigorous service for EHCP and tribunal matters. Our team has 30+ years of combined clinical experience, and our work is grounded in evidence based practice and clear clinical reasoning. Our Expert Witness reports are grounded in clinical expertise, statutory knowledge, and specialist legal training, ensuring clear, credible, and authoritative evidence.

Depending on your situation, support may include:

• Speech and language assessments to identify a child or young person’s needs
• EHCP advice and recommendations (including legally robust wording for Section B, F and I)
• Expert witness reports for SEND Tribunal appeals
• Liaison with solicitors and other professionals (e.g., educational psychologists, OTs)
• Attendance at hearings where required

We work in UK wide for EHCP and tribunal matters, and are experienced in supporting complex profiles including Autism, DLD, Selective Mutism, Downs Syndrome, speech sound disorders, and AAC needs, in a range of educational settings, Mainstream, Specialist, Residential, Education Other Than at School.

What makes our expert witness work different?

Families often tell us they’re looking for two things at once: clinical excellence and human understanding.

Here’s what we prioritise in every case:

• Clarity: Reports that are structured, readable, and persuasive; without losing clinical depth
• Evidence based recommendations: Grounded in assessment findings and functional impact
• Specificity: Provision that is detailed to be implemented (and defended)
• Child-centred thinking: Recommendations that reflect real life; home, school, and community
• Professional integrity: Balanced, objective, and focused on what the evidence shows.

We also understand the emotional load families carry through this process. Long before Sarah became an expert witness, she was a sister; watching her parents navigate tribunal processes for her brother with Downs Syndrome. She saw the paperwork, the meetings, the uncertainty, and the emotional weight of having to fight for support that should have been straightforward.

That early, personal experience shaped the way she works today: calm, meticulous, and relentlessly focused on what matters most, making sure a child’s needs are understood clearly, and supported properly. Our approach is professional, calm, and supportive; so, you never feel like you’re navigating it alone.

When should you consider expert witness EHCP support?

• Your child’s needs aren’t being fully recognised
• The EHCP draft feels vague or “copy and paste”
• Provision doesn’t match the level of need
• You’ve been told support can be delivered by non-specialists when specialist input is required
• Progress has stalled and school strategies aren’t working
• You’re preparing for mediation or SEND Tribunal

Ten years after that first hearing, Sarah’s motivation hasn’t changed.

Every child deserves to be understood. Every family deserves to be taken seriously. Every EHCP should reflect what a child truly needs; SLTs have a duty of care for any child or young person they are writing advice for. Advice should be written with the needs of the child or young person in mind, not the available resources.

A decade on and still driven by the same purpose!

Next steps: How to get started

If you’re considering EHCP support or expert witness input, we can talk through your situation and advise on the most appropriate next step.

• If you’re at the draft EHCP stage, we can help you strengthen evidence and recommendations.
• If you’re heading toward mediation or tribunal, we can advise on assessment and expert witness reporting.
• If you’re working with a solicitor, we can liaise directly to support the legal process.

Get in touchto discuss expert witness EHCP services and find the best route forward for your child; https://www.sltherapylondon.com/ehcp-legal-services