Oh bollox :( Can someone please help me, any knowledgable law people??

[Boredveryverybored]

I've just recieved a summons to court for 'failure to secure regular attendance at school'

Now I have had a long and endlessly frustrating battle with our EWO including making formal complaints about their complete disregard for our confidentiality and telling anyone they can get their hands on it seems all kinds of personal details about us
Anyway,my dd is physically disabled and doubly incontinent. She has suffered for the last 18 months horrendous recurrant infected nappy rashes that leave her unable to even sit down without extreme pain, and in need of changing every 10 - 15 mins night and day.
Had gone through all of this with school in meeting, agreed that whereveer possible she would be sent in, but it does nobody any favours if she's sent in to spent the day in class lying on her back and being taken out every 15 mins.
So attendance is low, it was expected, we have work in place from school for the days when she's off. All's ok I think.
Then the EWO gets involved, I understand they have to investigate when attendance is consistently low. So complied with everything they wanted, note from Dr, another meeting with school etc.
Then I got another letter from them saying attendance MUST improve or action will be taken, explain to EWO attendance will not improve, until current problems are solved.
He tells me in that case get a dr's note for each absence. Pain in the arse but fair enough, since then I've gotton a note every time she's off.

And now this!? A court summons, I thought I'd done everything they asked of me.
Have read enclosed statement made by EWO, which accuses me of being 'extremely and unecessarily overprotective of dd'
He even put in there that on the last occasion he visited me - without any prior warning and without making an appointment I might add 'that I refused to invite him into my house' FFS I was on my way out!!

Sorry this is long, but I'm shocked and angry and bloody terrified now. What do I do? What will happen at court? Do I need a solicior or can I do this myself?
I have never even set foot in a court before I have no clue about anything.

No GP agrees with me, have written statement to say so, and he has signed her off school with a sicknote each time, since they asked me to start getting notes for every absence (before I had only gotton them for absences of more than three days)
EWO however is saying GP statement is not enough because although he says this condition will necessitate absences from school, he doesnt give a figure of how many absences

DD is 6 1/2 and her attendance for last year was 68%

Message withdrawn

Message withdrawn

Not sure of the average, it tended to go more like a week or so with no problems, and then lots of problems and absence.

Message withdrawn

I did cod, I asked him to call me and arrange a date to meet. He never did.

Which seems to be a theme with them. I have sat in on more than one occasion having made an appointment with them, only for them not to turn up at all, and endless non returned phone calls.

Is there a court date set?

Keep making notes of all correspondence & absences. And are they all aware that this is not a permanent situation? That it will get better (as things change with DD)

Is your dd under a Paed as well as GP? If so what do they think?

Could you use this as an opportunity for her to get more help at school to facilitate her attendance?

I think you should get a lawyer. I also think you should make several copies of all the papers, sickness notes and write a very full well written statements which refers to them and have it all nicely set out ready too so things aren't over looked. You could of course educate her at home if school isn't working. No obligation on you to send her to school at all.

Make notes of any appointments that the EWO didn't attend as well (if you have the dates and times still), and if you can look back through your phone records for unanswered phone calls that would help

Good luck

Just wanted to come back to this and thank everyone who offered advice and update.
I had my court date today and it was found in my favour

Thanks again from a much relieved bvvb!