Hi everyone, I can't get free legal advice from any of the charities working in family law as we are not on benefits, but I need advice. Don't want to ask CAB or just any solicitor - the neighbouring local authority where my child goes to school want to prosecute us - she's had 25 days off sick this academic year and I am not 100% sure I can get a GP to back it up with medical evidence because some days were just with a bad cold for example. Now they are saying that we should have a doctors letter to cover every day she was/is off.
We know its their statutory right but added to that the Educational Welfare Officer is gunning for us - she's a bit of a loon and was saying how she's so successful in taking parents to court that she takes up court time in other counties as well ...!! How proud she is! We're just the sort that these people go after - middle class professionals and I made a safeguarding complaint against the school at christmas, after which DD's absences were unauthorised (but they didn't tell us till after Easter)
I need to find a statutory defence or could I try to appeal to the director of education to have the case reviewed before they put the court papers in; we definitely need this EWO removed from the case, but where to begin?
I have some knowledge I work in child protection, so I know with these cases there is very little you can do - basically once the decision is made to go to court the local authority have already made sure the case is water-tight - where can I get advice - any ideas?
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Legal matters
Threat of prosecution under Education Act for child's sickness absence - who can I talk to?
87 replies
14Elephants · 14/06/2015 15:39
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