Clarity. Direction. Solutions.Partnering with schools, colleges and trusts to help understand their legal obligations, manage their risks and build genuinely inclusive practice.
I bring together legal and risk expertise, governance experience and lived experience of parenting a child with SEND to offer something genuinely distinctive: a clear understanding of what educational settings need to do to meet their legal obligations, manage their risk exposure and build the inclusive culture that the system increasingly demands.
Everything I do with settings ultimately exists for one reason; so that pupils with SEND get the education they deserve, and their families feel genuinely supported rather than constantly feeling like they have to battle.
Cristina Di Santo
Founder
I have legal practice and risk management experience in City law firms, coupled with a solid understanding of the SEND and disability legal framework, verified through IPSEA (Independent Provider of Special Education Advice) qualifications** and lived experience.
Governor and board-level trustee positions held in special schools and a multi-academy trust, giving me a working understanding of how decisions are made at every level.
I have been through the system as a SEND parent (and continue to do so), giving me an understanding of the reality no textbook can provide. I have also worked for a disability charity supporting families and their loved ones so my understanding comes from more that just my own experiences.
*CDS SEND Inclusion is founded by Cristina Di Santo, a qualified solicitor (non-practising). Services provided are consultancy, training and/or advisory in nature and are in no way intended to constitute legal advice or legal services as defined by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Educational establishments and trusts requiring formal legal advice should consult a practising solicitor.
** Certificates available to view on request.
My approach
Understand where you are.
I listen first, then give you an honest picture of where things stand: what's working, what's stuck, and where the gaps are. Think of me as a 'critical friend', someone who will tell you what they see clearly and will work with you to bring about change where its needed.
Know where you're going.
Together we agree a route forward that's right for your setting and aligned to your strategy and priorities.
Make it happen, together.
Helping you to build and embed change so inclusion becomes the way you work, not a project that ends.
And if my commitments sound familiar, it's because they mirror the graduated approach settings already use for its pupils, namely assess, plan, do, review. But instead of being applied to individuals, its being applied to whole settings.
What I do
Every engagement is shaped around the specific needs of school, college or trust I work with.
An external, evidence-rich look at your provision where strengths are celebrated, gaps named, and proposed next steps laid out that fit your setting.
Read more here
A flexible session for governors, leaders and staff, drawing on lived experience to enhance understanding of families you come into contact with and help with building positive, trusted relationships through collaboration and communication.
Read more here
Aligning written policy to meet your legal requirements; reflecting on what happens in classrooms so that policy and reality match.
Read more here
Practical sessions for leaders, staff and governors so that they have clarity on their legal duties around SEND inclusion.
Read more here
Helping schools, colleges and trusts understand what the SEND reforms mean for them and how they can start planning for the future.
Read more here
A monthly retained service where I am available for ad-hoc projects and ongoing support to help meet your SEND policy and practice needs.
Read more hereIN THEIR WORDS
"As a governor, Cristina brought a wealth of knowledge and experience, and even more of her team player attitude. She was never afraid to challenge when required, but did so with kindness, empathy, and solutions. Cristina's legal knowledge, her proactive attitude, and her intellect generally were invaluable to our team."
Partnership working
Getting inclusion right takes more than a one-off training day. I partner with schools, colleges and trusts for the long haul, bringing challenge and warmth in equal measure. Some settings may want help to improve their current inclusion practice. Others may want help when dealing with a difficult situation, such as a SEND Tribunal risk or an Ofsted outcome flagging inclusion as an area for improvement or they want to better understand what their legal obligations are in relation to an exclusion decision. Either way, the starting point is consistently the same; an honest conversation about where you are and what you need.
Let's talk
Drop me an email or use the contact form. Tell me a little about your setting and what you would like my help with. No lengthy forms, no obligation.
I will get back to you to arrange a free, informal 30-minute call. No pitch, just a genuine conversation about your setting and what would be most useful.
If it feels like a good fit, I will send you a clear, fixed-fee proposal tailored to your setting's specific needs and priorities. No surprises.
Scan to save my details
