Professional Standards & Credentials
Structured. Accountable. Professionally Grounded.
Little Nellies operates as a specialist SEND and EHCP support practice built on regulated professional expertise.
Our work sits at the intersection of education law, social care duties, and statutory SEND frameworks. Because of this, professional standards are not decorative, they are foundational.
We do not rely on volume.
We rely on structure, statutory precision, and professionally accountable practitioners.
Our Professional Framework
Little Nellies is a SEND-focused brand operating within a wider social work practice.
Our team includes professionals from different regulated and specialist backgrounds. As a result:
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Registrations and memberships apply to individual practitioners, not to the brand as a whole
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Registration status varies depending on role and qualification
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We are transparent about what we are — and what we are not
We are not a law firm.
We are not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
We operate as a professional SEND support practice delivering structured, evidence-led EHCP case construction.
Individual Professional Registrations
Social Work England
Where a practitioner is a qualified social worker, they are registered with Social Work England, the statutory regulator for social workers in England.
This means they:
Hold a protected professional title
Are accountable to the Professional Standards
Undertake continuing professional development (CPD)
Are subject to fitness-to-practise requirements
Registration applies to the individual practitioner and not to Little Nellies as an organisation.
British Psychological Society (BPS)
Some practitioners hold membership with the British Psychological Society, reflecting academic and professional standards in psychology.
BPS membership demonstrates:
Engagement with recognised professional standards
Commitment to ethical practice
Ongoing professional development within the discipline
Membership category varies depending on qualification pathway and professional background.
nasen (National Association for Special Educational Needs)
Some members of our team hold membership with nasen, the professional association supporting SEND practice and education professionals.
This reflects:
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Engagement with current SEND policy and reform
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Access to specialist resources and CPD
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Commitment to evidence-informed SEND practice
What This Means for Families
Professional standards matter because EHCP appeals and tribunal preparation are governed by statutory duties, not opinion.
Tribunals determine:
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Identified needs
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Specified and quantified provision
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Lawful placement decisions
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Compliance with statutory obligations
Our work is structured accordingly.
We map evidence to statutory tests.
We analyse drafting against enforceability requirements.
We align submissions to legal duties under the Children and Families Act 2014 and SEND Regulations.
Professional accountability ensures our advice remains:
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Within scope
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Ethically grounded
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Procedurally sound
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Transparent in limitation
Clear Scope and Boundaries
Clarity is part of professional standards.
We provide:
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Evidence-led EHCP case construction
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Draft EHCP forensic reviews
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Refusal appeal drafting (SEND35 / SEND35A)
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Mediation preparation
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Appeal submission support
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Tribunal preparation
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Hearing support and agreed representation services
We do not:
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Provide reserved legal activities
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Hold ourselves out as solicitors
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Offer services outside our professional competence
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Misrepresent practitioner registration or regulatory status
Each service is defined by clear deliverables and transparent fixed pricing.
Governance & Accountability
Little Nellies operates under structured internal governance, including:
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Defined service scope
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Clear engagement terms
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Transparent fee structures
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Confidential data handling processes
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Document control and version discipline
Because our work frequently involves sensitive educational and health information, we apply strict confidentiality standards and lawful data processing principles.
Professional credibility depends not only on qualifications — but on operational discipline.
Our Practice Ethos
We believe professional standards are not about prestige.
They are about accountability.
Families approach us during time-sensitive, high-stakes moments.
Deadlines are real.
Tribunal scrutiny is real.
Our responsibility is to ensure:
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Evidence is structured
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Arguments are grounded
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Drafting is enforceable
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Submissions are coherent
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Advice remains within professional boundaries
This is how cases are built properly.
And this is the standard we operate to.
Transparency Statement
Where individual practitioner registrations are relevant to your case, these can be confirmed upon request.
We do not claim organisational regulation where none applies.
We do not imply professional status beyond what is lawfully held.
Clarity protects everyone - especially families.
