The Willows

Referrals

Refer a young person to The Willows

Nicola will work with schools, local authorities, and families to find the right fit for each young person. The referral process is straightforward and I will endeavor to respond to any referral requests within two working days

Complete referral form See the process

Who can make a referral?

Referrals are welcomed from schools, SENCOs, local authorities, social care teams, and families. We accept both funded placements and privately arranged placements. All referrals are considered individually and we will always be honest about whether we feel The Willows is the right provision for a young person.

Suitable for

Aged 7–13
SEMH needs
Emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA / EBSNA)
Trauma or anxiety affecting school attendance
Complex family circumstances
EHCP or undergoing assessment

How it works

Our referral process

01
01

Initial enquiry

Get in touch by phone or email to tell us a little about the young person and what they need. We'll have an informal conversation to see if The Willows could be a good fit.

02
02

Information sharing

If we feel there may be a match, we'll ask for relevant documentation — such as an EHCP, school reports, or a referral form — to help us understand the young person's needs more fully.

03
03

Visit & taster session

We invite the young person and their family or key worker to visit The Willows. We find that a relaxed taster session helps everyone — especially the young person — feel confident about the placement.

04
04

Placement agreed

Once everyone is happy, we agree a start date, confirm funding arrangements, and put a support plan in place. We work closely with all parties throughout the placement.

Funding

Funding & placements

Local authority funded

We work with local authorities to provide EHCP-funded placements. We can provide all necessary documentation to support funding applications and reviews.

School-commissioned

Schools can commission placements directly using their SEND or inclusion budgets. We are happy to work with SENCOs and inclusion leads to agree terms.

Private placements

Families can arrange placements privately. Please contact us to discuss fees and availability. We will always be transparent about costs from the outset.

Referral form

Submit a referral

Please complete the form below as fully as possible. All information is treated in strict confidence and used solely to assess whether The Willows is the right provision for the young person.

About you (the referrer)

About the young person

Needs & background

Risk assessment checklist

This section helps us plan a safe and appropriate placement. Please answer as honestly and fully as possible — this information is used to put the right support in place, not to exclude a young person from being considered.

Is the young person considered a flight risk? *

i.e. likely to run or leave the site without permission

Does the young person display any of the following dysregulation behaviours? *

Select all that apply

Are there any known concerns about the young person's behaviour around animals? *

e.g. fear of animals, history of harming animals, unpredictable reactions

Are there any concerns about the young person in an outdoor or semi-rural environment? *

e.g. sensory sensitivities, difficulty with unstructured outdoor spaces, known hazard-seeking behaviour

Placement details

Anything else we should know?

Consent & responsibility declaration

Please read carefully before submitting

The Willows is a small, independent outdoor learning environment operating across open grounds with animals. By submitting this referral, the referring school, local authority, or parent/carer confirms the following:

  • The information provided in this form is accurate and complete to the best of their knowledge.
  • They have disclosed all known risks, behaviours, and relevant history relating to the young person.
  • The referring organisation or individual accepts responsibility for ensuring that any information relevant to the safe management of the young person's placement has been shared with The Willows prior to sessions commencing.
  • The Willows reserves the right to pause or end a placement if undisclosed risks emerge that could affect the safety of the young person, staff, or animals.
  • All information provided will be held securely and used solely for the purpose of assessing and managing the young person's placement.

We aim to respond to all referrals within 48 hours.

Ready to make a referral?

Nicola Bevan

Call or email Nicola Bevan for an informal chat. We aim to respond to all enquiries within 48 hours.

Oakridge, Buddenfield Lane, Shedfield, Hampshire, SO32 2HP

07979 125129[email protected]