Are SEN case workers to be trusted?

[Ricecakesaremyjam]

Are local authority SEN case workers to be trusted? Do they work to serve the child, or on behalf of the school who aren’t delivering EHCP interventions?
Can anyone advise?! Thanks x

@Almahart the LA has a statutory duty to ensure compulsory school aged DC receive a suitable full-time education under section 19 of the Education Act 1996. It is the LA with the ultimate duty. If online provision is not suitable, then online provision does not fulfil that duty. The LA must provide something that is suitable. F2F provision is not, legally, unreasonable. If the LA is refusing to provide suitable full-time education, the person you know can force them to. Advise them to look into a pre-action letter.

I may not agree with the things requested by parents that should be funded by social care or health

Regardless of who you think should fund provision, the legislation states SCP and HCP which educates or trains is actually SEP. Therefore, it belongs in F, so is ultimately the responsibility of the LA.

Again, social care provision and health care provision which educates or trains is actually special educational provision. Whether you think that is right or not is irrelevant.

I really hate this rhetoric of sharp elbowed parents spoiling it for the real need cases. I've worked in the system and have two disabled children - the amount of times I've thought a parent was asking for something unreasonably is just so small. If children have hugely expensive packages or residential schools etc, at least in my experience, it is due to exceptional need. I have a tiny bit of sympathy for statutory services trying to support some of these extremely high needs young people (looked after children who need 4:1 staffing 24/7 etc), but not much. I've mostly seen stunning incompetence and wilfully unlawful behaviour from Education, Health and Social Care. Some really upsetting stuff to be honest.

Please ignore them. They have no idea. Sadly bullies are not confined to the playground.

She's attacking the lone caseworker posting on here, suggesting that she is incompetent and lying without any experience of her work or caseload.

I am not attacking anyone. I am just stating the obvious (that some of the claims here about parents of children with SN simply fighting for a basic education) are absurd. I know you have a bee in your bonnet about me but I am just stating some cold hard truths. Doesn't matter if you like them or not. Stating facts is not abuse. I don't know why you keep making this accusation over and over again. 🤷

The caseworker that told her to fuck off and numerous other expletives? The caseworker that claims parents demanding horse riding and drumming lessons represent the majority of SEN parents and are to blame for LAs breaking the law?

Sure...blame @Bluebell865for bullying with one sarcastic comment.

TBF, it sums up your whole attitude on this thread.

We did actually trial this, HCP's, caseworkers and parents met together and agreed aims, outcomes, provision. It was brilliant, but extremely time consuming, not only the meeting itself, but arranging a time to get everyone round the table. As a HCP my role encompasses at least 7 different clinics in a standard week, often joint with other professionals, so not easy for me to re arrange. And sometimes parents didn't turn up for various different reasons, and re arranging meetings then delayed the draft EHCP, which parents also were unhappy with, along with their review and treatment appointments being delayed due to HCP's being in meetings. Parents were consulted around their priorities, and they expressed a preference for being seen quicker and EHCPs being completed quicker over HCP's being present in the EHCP drafting meetings.
Saying all that, I do think one HCP should be present, to give better context than can be detailed in a written report.

@DisabledCaseworker in your comment 16.29, it looks like you are referring to special schools as asylums, apologies if I have not read this correctly?

Definitely agree re unscrupulous private HCP's, I have lost count if the times I have seen ridiculous levels of physiotherapy stipulated by private physio's, which is actually potentially harmful by removing children from their classrooms for significant periods of time, to carry out treatments which are not evidence based, with no clear functional goals, creating unrealistic expectations in the child and family and harming the therapeutic relationship.

I think she's likening the attitude of mainstream schools trying to get all the SEND learners off roll to special schools to the historical approach of putting disabled children out of sight on asylums . I.e. they just want rid.

Ah ok, that makes more sense.
Although the push for inclusion at almost any cost to both children with SEN and those without is equally harmful. Special school places are in such high demand, that many children who need them wait far too long in mainstream, which is far cheaper than many special school places, even with a full time 1 to 1.

It's awful. The mainstreams are outright hostile, there are no special school places. It's just an awful way to treat people.
The mainstreams are more hostile than I have ever seen to SEND learners.

As I say my son's caseworker consulted with 21 schools and it took over a year to find him a place. Thankfully the school he is at now is a great fit for him. It's bloody hard though. The area where there is just nothing out there is particularly SEMH at primary age range. There is just nowhere that will take them. And schools are using perm exclusions all over the place to off roll kids. I am currently dealing with a reception child who is looked after the the school are threatening to perm ex him.

I've never met a single child minded case worker and I've dealt with many over a decade.

I think what they are actually hostile to is the SEN teams at the council, and despairing at the system (or lack of it) I am a governor at a mainstream primary with an ARP. With a reputation for excellence with SEN, many children with SEN are advised to apply. These children usually don't have an EHCP, but often require a full time 1 to 1, personal care, OT, SLT. The school doesn't get funding for these until the EHCP comes through (which is taking up to 2 years) but needs to fund them anyway, in the best interests of the child. But this then diverts funding and support away from children with lower level needs, who are equally important. The number of times I have seen the incredibly dedicated head in tears, after having to make yet another cut to one child's provision to fund another, of having to terminate the contract of a skilled TA as the budget is exhausted, is heartbreaking. I fear it's not long before she quits or collapses under the pressure.

The reality is the school cannot meet need for many children the council asks them to take, and accepting a child whose needs cannot be met is harmful to both that child and the rest of their intended class. But the council has a legal duty to place, and will force a school to take a child to tick a box.

It’s a frighteningly broken system and the sad thing is, the more inclusive and supportive a mainstream school is, the more SEND children arrive at their doors, often sent by other local schools who say “we can’t meet her needs, try xxx school, they’re good with SEND”

so those schools who are genuinely making an effort end up being the most overwhelmed but with no extra funding.

LAs and Tribunals cannot direct Independents

That depends on the type of independent school. Section 41 independent schools can be named against their will. An offer of a place is only required from wholly independent schools.

I always advocate for all children to be supported in mainstream where possible.

that's not your call to make though and the decision what schools to name should be informed by the statutory assessment (EP report etc). <hides before being accused of yet another personal attack>

@DisabledCaseworker unfortunately when you work for a statutory service, to some extent you act as a representative of that service. I used to cringe turning up to public meetings with 'NHS' badge as people would tell me in detail all the horrifying ways the NHS had failed them as if I was personally responsible. It's very tricky to navigate but ultimately (barring actual abuse which I personally never faced) it is so important to hear and hold the stories of the people you serve.

I am sorry you have faced such difficulties and I can imagine working for an LA is not much fun, but please do not assume all Caseworkers care as much as you do and do not dismiss what families have faced. I think others have felt your "bells and whistles" comment was quite insensitive and most people commenting here will have also had extremely difficult journeys like you have. It's also safe to assume many parents are neurodivergent themselves given the strong genetic link.

Where possible, or where in the best interests of the child and the other children in the same educational setting, are 2 very different things. I have seen too many children placed inappropriately in mainstream, and not get the right support. SEN will 'nudge' parents towards it, in the knowledge that every parent who chooses mainstream is one less special school place they need to find and fund.