What again - my area of expertise is care and court of protection hearings. All I can say is that I have never, in 15 years, seen a psychologist attempt to make a medical diagnosis without being slapped down - they simply aren't qualified to do so and to be fair, most reports I have read say 'I cannot offer an opinion about a psychiatric condition the parents may have, you need to see a psychiatrist'.
But there is overlap between what a psychologist and psychiatrist can legitimately argue about and with educational issues I think there is fertile ground for overlap - I have had cases with children not doing well at school and there was often debate about extent to which ADHD existed separately from child reacting to parenting.
I am glad you had a good lawyer - that is the point I try to make, that the system isn't systemically corrupt and there are good, competent people to help others.
Yes, LA can get it very badly wrong at times but I am very worried this is because they simply don't have enough staff or enough financial backing to make sure decision making is good quality at all times.
When I read posts like those from deepfriedsage, my heart sinks because yet again the focus moves from the real problems to suggest that this is all part of some bizarre child porn conspiracy, presumably (as was alleged in a thread last year) that children are taken into care to be sent to sex parties with the senior judiciary.
The problem is stories about lack of funding and stressed out social workers going on long term sick are not 'sexy' enough to get the campaigning juices flowing for the likes of Hemming and Flemming. I don't think I have heard a peep out of them about the recent gov decision to cut funding to Kids Company for example.