Stupid me, trusting the LEA

[tryingtokeepintune]

Now you'd think I'd know better but for some strange reason, I keep thinking that people will act reasonably, especially when the alternative serves no purpose at all. Then the LEA will show me how stupid and gullible I am.

I withdrew my appeal after agreeing with LA that the sensible action was to tighten ds's statement., reason being that my reports were going to be very late etc. LA agreed - yes, yes, I know, gullible me.

Of course the amended statement came back with no changes at all despite us working on it and sending our reports to back proposed amendments. They cannot even be bothered to make any changes, such contempt. The proposed changes were not even going to cost them much more.

I am just losing the will - I know it is another appeal to Sendist but part of me wonder why I am bothering. How can I even make sure the school will even adhere to it? Won't my efforts and time be better spent Working directly with ds?

This, of course, is what the LA want.

No need to reply, just needed to rant.

[KOKOagainandagain]

When I first started marking undergrad essays I would give students the opportunity to remove, say, plagiarism and re-submit. This is a mistake. The obvious is removed or strengthened but your case loses strength. Kind of showing your hand to the opposition.

Sorry you were fooled. It is not your fault. The difference between DS1's proposed (15 hours in local m/s) and what we achieved by being willing to go all the way to tribunal (OOC Indi ss) is huge. Don't give up just do not give your trust to the untrustworthy.

[inappropriatelyemployed]

I completely understand your frustration. Those who criticise some of us for being too adversarial should know that we want to believe in the people we are dealing with, we want to work constructively, but they shaft us at every possible turn.

So what do you do? You end up with a life of complaints, Tribunals, etc etc and it drives you insane.

Did the LA agree in writing to strengthen your statement before you withdrew? You could complain but an LA prepared to do this is likely to just bat back any complaints with lies.

I think it is a very realistic to wonder what is the point? I have fought for years for provision and it is generally piss poor and delivered by people who never work with children like my son or if they do, never do so directly and don't want to be made responsible for it. He is out of school, again and I am arguing for a 'package' because this is the thing to do but the LA will never pay without an almighty fight and if they have any control over it, it will be shit.

The system stinks and having a very tight statement hasn't helped DS get what he needs in any way.

If someone would just give me a few thousand a year, I would do it all myself.

[Ilisten2theradio]

I must admit I started off ready to believe that the LEA would be nice as they seemed to be ready to tighten up DS's statement.
i had also read lots of things on here and was prepared for it all to go wrong, but as the person involved seemed so helpful...
Many weeks down the line I then received a finalised statement with no amendments. Cue immediate appeal papers.
i continued to try to negotiate. LEA claimed to tribunal they had no idea why I was appealing and that they had nothing from me - cue copies of all correspondence to SENDIST and LEA.
Further down the line nothing until just before tribunal date comes along, and we obviously get to the urgent part of the list. we have lots of drafts followed by a meeting with LEA and new school.
Get DS's revised statement the night before the tribunal.
Sorted! at least until we try to get the school to follow it. Now 12 months down the line and several complaints to the LEA later, the school are now doing what is in the statement.

So yes it can be a long drawn out process.
BUT it can be done - I know not everyone on here has had success, but without the advice I received I would not have done.

In the meantime yes we continued to do things at home, and I'm sure they were probably more effective than those at school, but I would say don't give up until you have tried it all.
Its no good saying it isn't worth it till you have tried, and I doubt you wouldn't work with DS even though you are fighting the LEA too.

[bochead]

Managed to get a decent statement - only to find that

a/ It wasn't worth the paper it was written on, as school did what the hell they liked and to hell with DS's welfare or learning.
b/ Complaining about the obvious (TA used for whole class while DS sat around lost and confused) made me the target of a witch hunt saga worthy of copyrighting for film rights!
c/ a+b did DS an incredible amount of damage which of course was all blamed on me!

I'm exiting stage left while there's still enough left of my DS to piece back together. My career is long gone and my finances are in ruins. If I'd known five years ago what I know now, I'd have used my time more constructively - perhaps by emigrating.

We may yet seek official asylum status as refugees in our new LA,

[tryingtokeepintune]

I knew I was not the only one who foolishly believed in the system.

IE - yes, I do have it in writing that they will work to tighten the statement. In fact, when they sent me the second proposed statement, they emailed saying how we were all working towards ds's best interest. Not only do they lie, they do it with a smile.

The feeling is that it is now a personal battle cos I upset them so much by not only complaining to the LGO but actually going public with my last complaint. It is no longer the officer dealing with me but her boss and I think they are now going to deal with me 'properly' because how dare I ask for an adequate education for ds?!

bochead - I might just take your advice and emigrate - but where?

[nennypops]

Seriously, if you can't get the school to do what is in the statement, tell the LA you'll be judicially reviewing them. Since you can do it the child's name and therefore get legal aid, it's a realistic threat and generally much more effective than complaining.

[inappropriatelyemployed]

Yes, I agree. If I had my time again, that is what I would have done. Bastards don't do anything until the law forces them to.

[lottieandmia]

Poor you Sorry this happened - I think I tend to have faith in most people but when it comes to the LEA they are incompetent liars and will say whatever.

I knew a family who got to tribunal and the LEA wanted to settle but the family didn't withdraw their appeal til the LEA changed the statement so they did it there and then. I'm for you that your LEA have done this to spin things out for you further.

[bochead]

Can you still JR if a child has left the LA? I'm furious at the events of the last year, as it's done so much damage to my family and would like some come back, so long as my child isn't the one in the direct daily firing line iykwim.

[inappropriatelyemployed]

It depends what you want to use judicial review for. You have three months from the date of the decision you want to review to lodge proceedings. In the case of an absence of provision, this is a continuing breach but if you have moved, the provision couldn't be delivered anyway so there would be no breach of the statement.

[tryingtokeepintune]

bochead - your situation is what, in theory, the LGO is for, I think.

As to how much good that'd do - I am sure you already know from the threads on here.