Section 09 · Working with Advocates
Ending support
How to close a support relationship with an advocate in SEN Evidence Vault when your case reaches a resolution or you no longer need active support.
After reading this article you can
- End an advocate support relationship
- Understand what happens to your records after closing a connection
- Know when it is appropriate to end support
Advocate support relationships have a natural lifecycle. When your case reaches a positive resolution, or when active support is no longer needed, ending the relationship formally is the right thing to do, it frees the advocate's capacity for other families and closes the connection cleanly.
When to end support
Ending support is appropriate when:
- Your case has reached a satisfactory resolution (e.g. the EHCP has been finalised, the tribunal was successful, the school placement is settled)
- You no longer need active advocacy support
- You are transitioning to legal representation and no longer need advocacy input
- The relationship has not worked out and you are moving to a different advocate
You do not need to end support during a natural pause in your case. If things are quiet but you expect to need the advocate again, it is fine to leave the connection open.
Closing a support relationship
Go to your advocate connection
From your profile, select Advocates and open the connection you want to close.
Select End support relationship
Select End support relationship from the connection management options. You will be asked to confirm and optionally add a brief note (e.g. "Case resolved, EHCP finalised").
Confirm
The connection is closed. The advocate's Vault access is revoked immediately. Your message history is retained in your account.
After closing
After closing a support relationship:
- Your message history with that advocate remains visible in your Advocates section (read only)
- Your Vault and all case records are unchanged
- You can reopen a connection with the same advocate in future by sending a new support request
If your case was resolved, consider leaving a review on the advocate's profile. Reviews help other families find the right advocate for their situation.
Tip
Before closing, it is worth sending a final message thanking your advocate and confirming the case outcome. It is a small gesture that matters, SEND advocacy is demanding work, and knowing their help made a difference is genuinely meaningful.
What to do next
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Explore the Advocate section for advocates
If you are an advocate yourself, the following articles explain how to set up your profile, get verified, and manage family cases through the platform.
Next in this section
Your ticket queue
How to manage incoming family support requests through the advocate ticket system, including SLA tracking, checklists, notes, and resolving cases.
Related articles
What is an advocate
What SEND advocates do, the different types available through SEN Evidence Vault, and when working with an advocate can make a difference to your case.
Finding an advocate
How to search the SEN Evidence Vault advocate directory, what to look for in an advocate profile, and how to make initial contact.
Sending a support request
How to send a formal support request to an advocate through SEN Evidence Vault, what to include, and what happens next.
Open the app
Try this in SENVault
Find an advocate, grant vault access, and manage support requests.
Open SENVault