Ella isn’t a finished tool — we’re testing how to provide trusted support around SEND transitions, one step at a time. This pilot phase focuses on EHCP-related questions and post-16 transitions. We’re starting with a small group of families to shape what works and what’s needed next.
SEND stands for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities — a complex system of support for children and adults who process, learn, or communicate differently.
💡 Our Story
I’m building this as a parent of an autistic son — and as someone who knows how vital trusted support is across the whole SEND journey. I’ve worked in data and AI governance, policy, and digital innovation for years — but nothing prepared me for navigating the SEND system firsthand.
It’s complex, emotionally exhausting, and unclear. Too many families fall through the cracks. Too many professionals are stuck giving the same advice, with no time or tools to really help.
No one should have to face this system alone.
🧑💻 What Is Ella Support Loop?
Ella Support Loop is a smart, human-first support tool and ecosystem that gives calm, personalised guidance — grounded in verified information and emotional safety.
It’s like texting a well-informed friend who really understands.
You can see the demo of the system in action at the end of the YouTube video.
- “What happens after Year 11?”
- “How do I appeal an EHCP decision?”
- “Which local schools support speech and language needs?”
- “What can I do if my council missed an EHCP deadline?”
Ella responds with clear, relevant answers based on trusted sources like the SEND Code of Practice, IPSEA, and local charities — never guesses, never scrapes the web.
You can explore anonymously or log in to return to saved chats — always staying in control. Ella never trains AI on your conversations or shares your data.
📊 The Ella Support Loop Ecosystem
💬 Why It Matters
Behind every missed deadline or confusing policy document is a family in crisis. The SEND system is full of good people and good intentions — but it’s fragmented, overstretched, and difficult to navigate.
Ella brings clarity, calm, and dignity to the chaos, supporting families, individuals, and frontline workers. She saves significant time, effort, and emotional stress, ultimately helping both families and councils avoid costly tribunals and legal fees.
🛠️ What We’re Building Now
- Post-16 transitions
- EHCP guidance and timelines
- Secure login with private chat history
- Anonymous access mode (in development)
- Trusted content, simplified for clarity
- A feedback loop to help services improve — without tracking individuals
🌟 Why Ella Support Loop Is Different
Ella doesn’t replace people — she supports them.
- Spot patterns of unmet need
- Inform content curation and training priorities
- Feed back into services so they reflect lived experience
Ella is governed by clear principles:
- Privacy
- Emotional safety
- Human-first design
- Lived experience as leadership
- Governance for change
🚀 What You Can Do
- Finalise and launch the first version
- Test it with families, individuals, and frontline workers
- Complete our governance and safety protocols
- Share anonymised insights with partners to help improve services
Our goal is £15,000. Every donation helps us move faster, reach more people, and build Ella the right way — with community trust at the core.
❤️ What People Are Saying
“It shouldn’t be this hard to help. I just needed someone to guide me.” — Parent of a neurodivergent teen
“This could really help surface trusted local information — especially for people who don’t know where to start.” — Local charity team lead
Ella Support Loop FAQs
- Is Ella Support Loop like ChatGPT or a chatbot? No. Ella only responds based on trusted, curated content — not web-scraped info or generic data.
- Is Ella Support Loop free to use? Yes — always.
- Is it an app? Not yet. Ella runs in your browser, with a mobile-friendly version available now.
- Will it work in my area? Yes. Ella gives general guidance UK-wide and is scaling local partnerships.
- Is my data safe? Absolutely. Nothing is shared, and you can delete chat history at any time.
- What if she can’t answer? Ella never guesses — she flags what’s missing and shows safe next steps.
🔐 Our Commitment to Privacy
- No personal data collected unless you log in
- Open-source AI trained only on verified, public info
- Anonymous usage supported
- Clear governance and full GDPR compliance
Thank you for trusting Ella Support Loop.