About Us
Claire Jackson - Director
2003
Claire joined IPSEA
Claire joined IPSEA, a renowned national charity, as a volunteer telephone advisor and later a Tribunal Support Service Representative. Claire says:
“One of the most valuable lessons I learned was the fundamental importance of using the law to secure, and if necessary, enforce rights to ensure that children and young people receive the special educational provision they are legally entitled to. I have been privileged to advise and support many families over the years and I am incredibly passionate about children and young people with SEND receiving the education they are legally entitled to”.
This led Claire to successfully complete her LLB Law (1st class) and Higher Diploma in Paralegal Practice in 2011.
2009
Claire worked as a Consultant Mentor for Durham University’s Pro Bono Project
This involved training, mentoring and supervising law students to give advice in the area of special educational needs and disability law.
2012
Claire joined the Legal Team at IPSEA
There she remained in this role until 2018. During this period her roles and responsibilities included the following:
- Providing specialist legal advice and support to a large group of volunteers nationwide
- Drafting legal training on the special educational needs and disability framework
- Delivering legal training to large groups of parent/carers, professionals (including local authorities/NHS staff), schools and those working within statutory services
- Representing parents in the SEND Tribunal
- Investigating and responding to local authority unlawful policy
- Drafting responses to national consultations on specialist subject matters such as the Equality Act 2010, exclusion from school, home education and SEND funding
- Giving oral evidence to the House of Lords Select Committee on the Equality Act 2010 and Disability
- Drafting legal resources for volunteers and the public website
- Drafting a quarterly subscriber’s legal briefing