Can I take the role as Lead Professional ?!

[Ineedmorepatience]

Ok, in the absense of a lead Proff would I be bonkers to try to do this role myself?

I am the only person who has copies of all Dd3's paperwork apart from the GP and he isnt going to attend meetings with me is he!

I am already talking directly to SALT's and OT's and the new Paed who we havent met yet.

The senco is unreliable and much asnI like her she isnt ensuring that Dd3's needs are met at the moment.

I have applied for a SA and have an independent advocate on board but cant afford to ask him to come to every meeting.

What do you all think?

[Ineedmorepatience]

Bumping in case anyone is around this afternoon

[StarlightMcKenzie]

I did. But, you won't get lead professional training and it may be hard to get others to come to a MD meeting you announce.

My main purpose of taking on the role was to cancel and then refuse to reconvene all TAC meetings, and to insist all paperwork was sent to me for the 'hub', key worker file.

[Ineedmorepatience]

Ok Thanks star I wonder whether I would be better holding fire until we meet the new Paed and seeing if she will take on the role!

Its a night mare isnt it. I dont feel like anyone is prepared to take responsibility for anything

[OneInEight]

In our experience even when school or social services arrange the meetings the people you really want there like CAMHS, EP and Paediatrician send their apologies. We did get the EP once (when she wanted to cover her back) following ds1's permanent exclusion. Surprised you aren't getting copies of the reports anyway - we seem to get a copy but could be because dh is good at chasing for them

[Ineedmorepatience]

I have got all the reports one its me that is doing everything at the moment, I seem to have completly taken over from school now.

Maybe its not a bad thing but as star says if I call a meeting no one will attend.

I will just keep gathering stuff and making sure I follow everything up.

Hopefully the new Paed will help, she has already said she will attend meetings with me so that is promising.

[Ineedmorepatience]

How many proffs do you need for a TAC meeting? We have SALT, OT , Senco, me and the new Paed. The Ed psych is being asked to see Dd3 apparently but we have no idea when that will be so I guess we cant count her.

[OneInEight]

What do you want out of the meeting because this might govern who to ask? If to help with secondary school transition then you would want to ask for somebody from the secondary school. Other people we have had that might be useful are the education welfare officer (relevant if you have anymore school refusal), representative from the LA statementing team (they did send somebody when we were in the midst of SA but not sure if they would if SA is refused). Do you have support from the family support officer - they can be useful for hastling the professionals although not a lot else & they always turn up (because they are bored and have nothing better to do). SALT is another one who always sent apologies, as did GP and school nurse.

[Ineedmorepatience]

Thanks one I dont know what I want really tbh. I suppose just to coordinate what is being done and what needs to be done.

I was hoping that the senco was upto doing this job but it seems not and she and I are on the verge of falling out.

If SA is refused I will be appealing.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

The thing is, TACs are an official process with 'rules'. One of those is often that duties can be handed to agencies in their absence iirc, so it is wise for all involved to attend in order to argue themselves out of jobs.

[Ineedmorepatience]

Ok star thanks, I think another meeting with the Senco is required and I will follow it up with an email to her and the HT, I am cc ing him in on all emails to the senco anyway as she often doesnt reply.

The school are currently trying to blame Dd3 for being stressed and not accepting any responsibility. They have cocked up big time in terms of IEP's she has had one in 2 years and I havent agreed to her new one and have been asking to meet to discuss it for 4 weeks without success.

I am disappointed with the school because they meet the needs of children with much more complex needs than Dd3 and they say they want to support her but then they dont follow through. She actually doesnt need a huge amount of support but is unable to access help when she is distressed.

I have managed to find a Paed who has an interest in girls with Asd who has taken Dd3 onto her list. She hasnt been seen by a paed for 3 years and her anxiety is through the roof at the moment. Maybe the Paed will call a meeting with all the proffs involved.

TBH I am kicking myself because I trusted the senco to be doing her job and despite asking many times last year what was being done to support DD3 and nagging about transition nothing was done and I feel like I took my eye off the ball.

Well no more, I have come out fighting this week after a very low week last week. I am not accepting crap for Dd3 she is amazing, she works hard and is so clever and she deserves to be happy and supported.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

Though I don't know how you would enforce any TAC 'rules' lead or not.

I wanted to stop going to circular meetings where everyone told me ds was doing brilliantly and that it was their agreed professional opinions despite no evidence or documentation.

I felt stopping that nonsense and instead writing and emailing to address issues was far more effective and held individual agencies to account rather than having them all in a room agreeing with each other that everything was the responsibility of joint-partnership-working and in their opinion it was very effective .

[StarlightMcKenzie]

Don't kick yourself. It is hard for most of us to realise that people we hand our kids over to aren't keeping their promises, but harder I think when you are in a similar profession and have even more to lose from realising these people aren't as caring as they should be.

[Ineedmorepatience]

Hmm, I am a senco myself as you probably know so yes I am rather gutted, especially as I work closely with the senco at Dd3's school when the children I work with transition to her setting!!!

I agree about emailing, I have made progress this week by emailing people directly and have a couple of calls to return on monday.

Thanks again for the advice and hopefully I can keep the ball rolling now I have started it.

[signandsmile]

I have to say when told the school SENCO would be lead professional I said no, and almost did it myself, and then found another professional with small involvement with ds who was willing, (the 'aiming high' worker) it meant that I could use her to 'poke' the other professionals through her, and they didn't have to save face about being caught out by a parent.

[Ineedmorepatience]

Hi sign nice to see you

Thanks for that I am realising why its not the best plan to try to do it myself!!

I will carry on doing what I have been doing and try to get the new Paed to take the lead Asap.