Understanding the timeline

The timeline is one of the most useful parts of SENVault. It lets you build a chronological record of what has happened in your child's SEND journey, what was requested, what was decided, and when.

What the timeline is for

Each entry on the timeline represents something significant:

• A request you made, for an assessment, an EHCP, a review
• A response you received from the local authority or a school
• A meeting that took place
• A key decision being made or communicated
• A change in your child's provision or support

Over time, the timeline becomes a clear account of how things have progressed, and where things have been delayed or disputed.

Adding a timeline entry

Go to the Timeline section in SENVault and add a new entry. For each event, record:

• The date it happened
• What happened: a brief, factual description
• Any notes or context you want to keep alongside it

Keep entries factual. Dates and what happened are more useful than opinions or interpretations, especially if this record might be referred to later.

Why the timeline matters

When you are in a meeting, or preparing for a review or tribunal, being able to say "we first raised this in March 2022, and here is the response we received" is genuinely powerful. The timeline gives you that clarity without having to piece it together from memory.

It is particularly useful for:

• Identifying delays: spotting where legal or process timescales were not met
• Showing a pattern: demonstrating that concerns were raised repeatedly, over time
• Preparing for tribunal: presenting a clear, ordered account of the history of your child's case

Connecting documents to events

Where you have a document that relates to a timeline entry, a letter, a decision notice, a meeting note, you can link it directly. This connects what happened with the paperwork that supports it, making it easier to find both when you need them.