For a lot of autistic young people out of school, tutoring alone doesn't work at first. Before they can learn, they need someone they trust, at a pace that feels safe. That's what good mentoring does: rebuilding confidence, regulation and independence, often through the things your child already loves.
If you think mentoring should be part of your child's EOTAS package, here's how to ask for it so it actually happens.
Why the wording matters
Only what's written in Section F of the EHCP is legally guaranteed. The SEND Code of Practice says provision should be detailed, specific and normally quantified: what type of support, how many hours, how often, and what level of expertise. Vague wording is hard to enforce.
Step 1: Link mentoring to your child's needs
Section B describes your child's needs, and Section E sets out the outcomes. Mentoring in Section F should clearly meet those needs and work towards those outcomes. If a professional's report recommends mentoring, point to it.
Step 2: Be specific
Good Section F wording covers:
- Who: a specialist mentor with experience of supporting autistic young people
- What: the areas the mentoring will work on
- How much: hours per week, number of sessions, and weeks per year
- How: online, in person or both, and when in the day
- Reporting: how progress will be recorded and shared
Step 3: Use clear wording
Here's an example you can adapt:
[Name] will receive specialist mentoring from an experienced autism mentor for [4] hours per week, across [2 to 3] sessions during the school day, for 39 weeks of the year, delivered online. Sessions will be led by [Name]'s interests and will focus on re-engagement, emotional regulation, independence and life skills, self-understanding and self-advocacy, and planning next steps. The provider will keep session records, report termly on progress against the outcomes in Section E, and contribute to the annual review.
Step 4: Bring a costing
Caseworkers find it much easier to agree to something that's already costed. Ask your chosen provider for a written quote with the hourly rate, the weekly hours and the annual total.
Step 5: Ask at the right time
You can ask when the EHCP is being written, at the annual review, or by asking the council to review the plan early because your child's needs have changed. Put your request in writing and keep a copy.
Mistakes to avoid
- "Access to mentoring as needed": too vague to enforce, and easy to cut
- No hours: without a number, there's nothing to hold anyone to
- No reporting: without termly reports, it's hard to show it's working at the next review
- Mentoring with no link to outcomes: caseworkers will ask what it's for
If the council says no
Ask for the reasons in writing. You can appeal to the SEND Tribunal about what's in Section F, and you'll usually need to speak to a mediation adviser first. IPSEA has free guidance on appeals.
How we can help
We provide remote mentoring for autistic young people on EOTAS, built around The Autism Navigator, our own programme. We can give your caseworker ready-to-use Section F wording and a full-year costing, so it's easy to agree.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For help with your child's legal rights, contact IPSEA, a free independent charity.