Terms of Service

By creating an account, using the receipt generator, sharing a story, or sending a message through Your Story Matters, you agree to these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, please do not use the tool.

These terms apply to all users of the site, whether or not you have created an account.

Your Story Matters is a free, independent documentation tool. It helps you record your experiences with public services (SEND, health, social care, and related systems) and generate structured "impact receipts" that quantify the effects of delays and decisions on your family.

The tool automatically calculates certain metrics (such as financial impact, educational loss, and statutory breach detection) based on the information you provide and publicly available statutory frameworks.

This is the most important section. Please read it carefully.

Your Story Matters is a documentation tool, not a legal service. Nothing on this site, in the receipts it generates, or in any communication from the founder constitutes legal advice, professional advice, or a solicitor-client relationship.

The receipts, advocacy letters, and other documents generated by this tool are evidence documentation aids. They are designed to support — not replace — advice from qualified legal professionals, advocates, or advisors.

Always seek qualified legal counsel before initiating formal proceedings, including complaints, tribunal appeals, or judicial reviews.

All impact calculations use conservative, evidence-informed estimates based on publicly available research and statutory frameworks. We make every effort to ensure calculations are reasonable and defensible.

However:

• Actual harm experienced may be greater than what the receipt shows — we err on the side of understatement.
• Statutory deadlines and legal references are correct to the best of our knowledge but may change over time. Always verify against current legislation.
• The accuracy of your receipt depends entirely on the accuracy of the information you enter. We are not responsible for incorrect data you provide.
• We do not guarantee that any authority, tribunal, or court will accept the receipt as evidence. Its weight is a matter for the decision-maker.

When using this tool, you agree to:

• Provide accurate and truthful information to the best of your knowledge
• Not use the tool to make false, misleading, or fraudulent claims
• Not impersonate another person or misrepresent your identity
• Not use the tool to harass, threaten, or defame any individual or organisation
• Not attempt to disrupt, hack, or overload the site or its systems
• Respect the anonymity of community story contributors — do not attempt to identify them

You retain full responsibility for how you use the documents generated by this tool.

If you share a story on the community story map, you understand that:

• Your story will be displayed publicly but anonymously — your name and email are never shown.
• The approximate location you select will be visible to other users.
• You are responsible for ensuring your story does not contain identifying details about third parties (e.g. naming specific professionals or children).
• The site owner may remove stories that are abusive, defamatory, or violate these terms.
• Stories may be used in aggregated, anonymised form for the National Impact Dashboard.

The Your Story Matters platform, including its design, methodology, calculation engine, and code, is the intellectual property of the initiative.

The receipts and documents you generate belong to you — you may use, share, and distribute them as you see fit.

The community stories you share are licensed to us for display on the story map and use in anonymised aggregate statistics. You retain ownership of your story content.

Your Story Matters is provided free of charge and "as is". To the fullest extent permitted by law:

• We are not liable for any outcomes resulting from the use of receipts or documents generated by the tool, including in legal proceedings, complaints, or tribunal appeals.
• We are not liable for any loss, damage, or harm arising from your use of the site, including data loss, inaccurate calculations, or service interruptions.
• We are not liable for the content of community stories shared by other users.

Nothing in these terms limits liability that cannot be excluded under applicable law (e.g. liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence).

We may update these Terms of Service from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Significant changes will be communicated through the site.

Continued use of the tool after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated terms. If you do not agree with the changes, you should stop using the tool and delete your account.

If you have questions about these Terms of Service, please send a message to Barry. This is a private line — nothing you send is public.