Section 09 · Working with Advocates
Messaging your advocate
How to use the in-app messaging to communicate with your advocate, share context, and keep a clear record of your working relationship.
After reading this article you can
- Send and receive messages with your advocate
- Share document links and case context in messages
- Keep an organised communication history
All communication with your advocate takes place within SEN Evidence Vault. When you contact your advocate, a support ticket is created on their side automatically. You do not need to manage this, it happens in the background and means your advocate has a structured record of your request from the moment you send it.
The messaging interface
From your Advocates view, select your advocate connection to open the message thread. The thread shows all messages between you and that advocate, in chronological order.
Messages support:
- Plain text
- Document links, reference a specific document in your Vault by name
- Bundle shares, share a specific bundle directly in the message thread
- File attachments, if you need to share something not in your Vault
What to communicate
Your advocate needs context to help you effectively. Useful things to communicate:
- Upcoming deadlines: "We have received the draft EHCP and have until [date] to respond. Can we discuss this week?"
- New developments: "We received a letter from the LA today that concerns us, I've uploaded it to the Vault."
- Questions: "I don't understand what Section F is supposed to include. Can you explain?"
- How you are feeling: your advocate should understand the emotional context of the case. It helps them calibrate how to support you.
Response expectations
Advocates set their own response timeframes. Check your advocate's profile for their stated response time. If something is urgent, flag it in the message subject or opening line.
If you are not getting responses within a reasonable time, raise it directly: "I haven't heard back on my message from [date], is everything okay?" If the problem persists, contact SENVault support.
Tip
After any meeting or call with your advocate (if they also work by phone or video), send a brief message summarising what was discussed and agreed. This creates a written record of commitments made. "Just to confirm from today's call: you are going to review Section B and come back to me by Thursday" is a useful protection for both parties.
What to do next
- 1
Send your advocate a message
If you have an active advocate connection, send them an update on where your case currently stands.
- 2
Read about the handover process
If your advocate is part of an organisation or you need to transfer your case, the next article explains how the handover process works.
Next in this section
The handover process
How a case handover works when an advocate transfers your case to a colleague, leaves the platform, or you move to a new advocate.
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