Watkins Solicitors Incorporating Brain Sinnott & Co

I am delighted to share my review of Watkins Solicitors and the exceptional assistance provided by Celine in our recent endeavor. Our journey involved navigating the complexities of the local authority system to secure the placement we desired for our daughter.

From the outset, Watkins Solicitors demonstrated unparalleled professionalism and expertise in handling our case. Celine's dedication and commitment were truly remarkable. She guided us through every step of the process with clarity and precision, ensuring that we were well-informed and supported at all times.

What truly sets Watkins Solicitors apart is their proactive approach and unwavering determination to achieve the best possible outcome for their clients. Not only did they advocate tirelessly on our behalf, but they also went above and beyond to secure our daughter's placement even before the tribunal proceedings.

Their exceptional service and outstanding results speak volumes about their competence and integrity. I cannot recommend Watkins Solicitors and Celine highly enough to anyone in need of legal representation. Their professionalism, expertise, and unwavering dedication make them the ideal choice for any legal matter.

We were glad with the support received. Excellent communication and honest advice throughout.

Emma supported us through our EHCP Draft review process. Honestly I thought that I was just paying for someone to do what I would have done myself as I did a fair amount of research on all things EHCP but as I was completely worn down and overwhelmed with months of fighting with the LA, plus working, looking after the children and some difficult family issues I gave in and instructed Emma's support. Turns out that there were things I wouldn't have known to pick up and request. As a result we are now set up with a strong EHCP that we can use in our placement appeal with the LA, as the LA is pushing for a school which can't meet the EHCP provisions. If the EHCP was not strong and quantifiable the school would probably not say that even if they were not suitable. Furthermore Emma provided advice on appropriateness, or the lack of, of the SLT and EP assessments that were carried out. It was definitely worth the money.

So much of what it takes to move a child with SEN towards the right setting is about following process and enforcing the rules and statutory timelines which seem to be ignored without someone legally minded pushing for you. I found the early stages of the EHCP process tricky and my daughter's mainstream school were not really invested in helping me to get the best out of the process. I decided to take my traumatised, burned out daughter out of school. It was a leap into the unknown because I had no school place to go to and no funding. With Emma's guidance we secured EOTAS funding for the second year, which enabled me to access learning from a variety of SEN settings for my daughter when she became well enough to engage with it, and to gently introduce her to learning again while the place at the school we wanted was becoming available. After over two years of waiting we have a school place in September. I would say that the last year to 6 months of this process where when the most action happened and that was the timeframe in which we had Emma's help. Its a very worthwhile investment and although you will still need to read/ write and compile evidence and be across all aspects of the process for your child - having someone to marshal those resources and information and to direct the local authority towards their duty of care and responsibilities legally speaking was a game changer for my daughter and I.

Very helpful at all times and offering clear guidance and advice. Fantastic knowledge of the system and all the next steps required. Would definitely recommend to other families.

Divorce settlement is a process that no one enjoys but thanks to Nicola Harvey’s help and expertise I was guided through to a satisfactory conclusion.

Celine and everyone at Watkins have been so helpful in getting us a successful outcome for our child. The LA have been very tricky to engage with and after months of making no progress ourselves in trying to secure a new school placement and EHCP changes we had them act for us. We are so pleased with the outcome and support we have received. Having a child out of school has been incredibly stressful so handing everything over to Watkins felt like a huge weight off when we did not have the energy or confidence to fight the LA for what our child needed. Thanks to Celine and the team at Watkins we have got all the provision our son needs agreed in the EHCP and placement at a fantastic independent specialist school. Watkins have really turned things around for us and I would recommend their services to anyone struggling to advocate for their child. We also very much appreciated the transparency over fees and what was covered as helped us understand and budget accordingly for their services.

Incredibly knowledgable and helpful - gave lots of time to provide advice and support and checkd in on outcomes even when not 'on the books'. Clear on charges and worked with us to get the right option to suit our needs and own capabilities. Would highly recommend.