LEA visit

[loobywench]

Hi I have been HE my son for 18 months now. We had a visit from LEA last year and had a letter to say they would like to come visit today. I cancelled this appointment and said they could come next month but he turned up today anyway! He asked if he could come in and how my son was. I told him I had cancelled and I sent him away as I had nothing prepared. What if anything will happen now?

I'd email the dept with dates of when you'd be more than happy to visit just to cover your back tbh.

I have phoned them and they said there were crossed wires and apologised. They will make me another appointment but my husband now says it looked like we had something to hide by not letting him in and I am now worried!

loobywench

You do realise that you don't have to accept a visit from them?
we have always refused as I don't like my home and my dd scrutinised.
I sent in a short philosophy and told them what I intended to do and got a reply saying be in touch next year.
Let them think you have something to hide because its up to them to prove it.

morethan

Thanks for the reply. I would prefer them not to come at all. We felt like we were being scrutinised last year. I cancelled because my husband has been really ill for nearly a year and having chemo at the minute. We don't have a lot of written work to show . I think I might send them a report in the post.

Rearranging appointments happens all the time in all areas of life and the LA has acknoledged and apologised for their mistake. You don't need to worry.
Sorry to hear about your husband
You are perfectly within your right to not receive a visit and given your current circumstances, it might be easier for you to send in a written 'Philosophy'. Having had a visit last year you know what the HE officer is looking for and you could use his/her report as guide.

I haven't had a visit for four years now, and my LA is quite insistent about contact (even though they know they've no legal right) and there are a few unpleasant stories circulating here.

I send a report each year, before they ask for it (proactive, me ) - it's quite comprehensive so there can be no doubt of the broad provision my son gets in HE. I get a short report back which approves his provision and we go on our merry way till next year.

It's your choice of course, but some people find it easier to have the visit as it takes less time than compiling a report or ed phil. Each to their own.

Sorry your husband is ill. I don't think his suggestion that 'it looks like you're hiding something' is accurate, though.

It doesn't look as if you have something to hide, and they accepted their mistake and apologised. Don't worry about it.
Remember, you don't have to be visited if you don't want to.

But you might be interested to know that as a child I loved the "inspector's visit" and used to look forward to it. I loved showing another interested grown up what I had been doing. So it may not be a negative thing for your child.....Obviously for another sort of child it might be, but don't assume it will be.