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

I'm puzzled that you dismiss so many people talking about their actual experiences as being people who "just" turn up on FB groups, read SNJ and bitch on MN. You simply have no evidence of that assertion, but it's a very easy way to try to put down people quoting actual evidence that contradicts your views. Ditto the way you keep putting down other people's intelligence when it is you who keep misquoting the law. I have a great deal of respect for IPSEA, but you seem to be unaware that their courses don't actually offer accredited legal qualifications.

You've been asked before but may have missed it - have you helped children in care with SEN to challenge decisions when necessary, including by helping them appeal to the tribunal?

@CleverButScatty you are so dismissive of local parent boards and yet when you are in an LA where SENDIAS doesn’t meet minimum standards and parent carer voice is LA mouthpiece then parents have nowhere to turn. Successes from the boards a child of 7 never been to school full time, EHCP in place since 5 was doing 20 mins 3x a week nothing provided by school or LA outside of that. mum supported to call emergency review ( no AR in 2 years) another parent attended with her. Child happily in special school full time as a result. Many parents with children in independent specialist as parents share their experiences, their professionals used to support, some unaware the option existed previously and had no idea how to secure. Many with EOTAS packages secured ( some 6 figures) so many there is now a spin off board just for EOTAS. Thousands upon thousands of pounds paid out in recompense as a result of those formal complaints, LGO rulings. ICO judgement for data breeches One caseworker dismissed for endangering adopted siblings by being free and easy with their personal information identifying whereabouts one Tribunal lead removed for being largely incompetent and costing LA thousands of pounds. So yes just parent boards but parent boards helping other parents to secure an education for their child when LA seem intent on doing anything but.

For primary reception entry it would usually be the child's first EHCP, issued in draft form for parents and professionals to review (so inaccuracies can be corrected before being finalised) before being completed and sent to the school for comment, so it should be up to date and accurate. Our school invites child and family for a 'look round' before offer of place to gain additional information on whether can meet need. And pretty much every child who at this point they told LA unable to meet need but forced to take anyway, they continue to feel it was not an appropriate setting, and many have since moved to specialist setting or awaiting a place in a specialist setting. No child has been more able than EHCP suggests, usually its the reverse from our experience. Moving is disruptive for the child, and much better to start in correct setting in first place. Plus they have taken a place in the ARP away from a child for whom it would have been appropriate, who has then struggled in standard mainstream class.
I can only speak for our school, but they definitely know best which children will thrive in their school and which will not.

Our la has a tendency to try in certain cases to try and make the ehcp/consult fit the school so that the school say yes. This happens a lot with children starting school. Parents don’t know the sen system well yet and still trust that it makes the right decision for their child. They are thrilled when they are told that little Johnny with highly complex needs can have his needs met in mainstream.

but the childs actual needs don’t change just because you don’t write them down properly and a lot of caseworkers only see as far as getting a school named they don’t seem to appreciate the fact that the child will then go on to actually attend in practise and if there needs are much greater than what was on ehcp/consult the placement will break down. It’s also not just a case of trying and seeing if it works works out, children who have had a failed placement on the whole tend to be end up having bigger behavioural issues than children who had their needs met in an apppropate setting.

it is good that you school invites parents in as you can then get the full picture from the parent and child

Yes. I completely agree with all of this.

issued in draft form for parents and professionals to review (so inaccuracies can be corrected before being finalised) before being completed and sent to the school for comment, so it should be up to date and accurate.

I’m not sure if this is what you meant, but schools should be consulted before the EHCP is finalised.

LAs don’t always make the amendments required in response to parental representations, so it doesn’t always result in an accurate picture. If LAs always made the necessary amendments, there wouldn’t be so many appeals to SENDIST.

They shouldn’t, but it isn’t unheard of for LAs to consult placements before parents have had the opportunity to respond to the draft, either.

Some DC entering reception have existing EHCPs. Although the phase transfer review process should still ensure parents get the opportunity to comment.

It would be lovely if LAs could be trusted to make corrections to inaccuracies, but regularly that simply doesn't happen, especially if they are under pressure to meet a deadline.

The vast majority of EHCPs are issued at a later point than primary reception entry. I have however seen EHCPs that were issued at the nursery stage that have not been updated for several years: it is not surprising if a school sees a 10 year old's EHCP which claims he is, after 5+ years of special educational provision, still only beginning to learn letters and numbers and comes to the conclusion that he has severe educational delays.

I wonder if people have seen what’s happened on ITV news with the whistleblower
https://www.itv.com/watch/news/whistleblower-details-horror-of-how-council-denies-send-support-for-families/rjknb1s

I don’t think any parent who has experienced LA SEND depts can be at all surprised at this. Most seem to think it is their LA being exposed.

Totally unsurprised by the latest whistleblowing. After my child's caseworker ignored my attempts to contact for months past the statutory deadline for my daughter's review, she seems to now be actively obstructing my child's preferred placement even though it is a mainstream school that will cost less in funding than her current provision. I can't think of any motive other than that I've been a bit pushy because they have delayed for so long that my child now doesn't have an educational placement for September.

I have come across some caseworkers that genuinely seem to be trying to be helpful but they never last long. I think some people go into the job with good intentions and realise that the system is terrible so only the more callous ones remain.

@lavenderlou You likely need to send a pre action protocol letter to force them to issue the EHCP. Try the template letters on IPSEA first.