Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Original poster

Can I ask for a teacher to be changed for another in a child protection meeting

50 replies

Stressdmomma · 08/04/2023 20:54

Hi all my children were placed on a child in need plan recently due to concerns with school due to undiagnosed neurodivergancy issues. The SENCO who was at the first meeting has since breeched GDPR by discussing my children with another parent. I have proof of this in the social workers assessment. My question is as we now have no trust in her and I will be persuing an investigation with the schools DPO can I request that she no longer be allowed to partake in the meetings. I do not mind another teacher being present just not the one that has caused this mistrust.

OP posts:
duvetcovereddissident · 08/04/2023 21:00

She is the SENCO for your child, no, you can't. Its her job, it is not anyone else's job, and a lot of teachers involved in these meetings get a lot of allegations against them, and everyone's timetable can't get jigged around to accommodate that.

It would be more constructive to work with her, however angry you are. By all means take your complaint out, but in the mean time, just cooperate with her

Louisetopaz21 · 08/04/2023 21:03

duvetcovereddissident · 08/04/2023 21:00

She is the SENCO for your child, no, you can't. Its her job, it is not anyone else's job, and a lot of teachers involved in these meetings get a lot of allegations against them, and everyone's timetable can't get jigged around to accommodate that.

It would be more constructive to work with her, however angry you are. By all means take your complaint out, but in the mean time, just cooperate with her

To be fair she has evidence that this teacher breached confidentiality, I don't blame her for not wanting that teacher there.

Original poster
Stressdmomma · 08/04/2023 21:04

My concern is that if she has had conversations about my children with others before, once she is under investigation and is going to be held accountable already there is nothing to stop her from doing the same with any new information that is shared in these meetings. Does it make a difference if the school has more then one Senco?

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General education General parenting SEN
DrHousecuredme · 08/04/2023 21:20

I think in the circumstances it's definitely worth asking if, say the child's class teacher or a member of senior management can sit in instead. She has broken your trust and will prevent you from getting the most out of the meeting.

turtlemurtle1982 · 08/04/2023 21:22

Yes you can request that they are replaced with another school representative.

Zonder · 08/04/2023 21:35

Do the school know about her breaking confidentiality? I would make sure they do know and insist on a different member of staff being present.

It really doesn't have to be the senco and the school leadership need to deal with her about breaching confidentiality.

Why did she tell another parent?

Original poster
Stressdmomma · 08/04/2023 21:39

She claims the other parent approached her but the other parent claims she received a phone call. I used to be friends with the other parent but she turned toxic and has been harassing me ever since. I have a meeting with the head teacher when the children return to school.

OP posts:
Janedoe82 · 08/04/2023 21:43

Depends what she was speaking to the other parent about? Maybe your child has had some issues with the other child she was trying to resolve.
If you have any sense you would keep your head down and not raise any further concerns 🙈

MumOf2workOptions · 08/04/2023 21:46

Stressdmomma · 08/04/2023 21:39

She claims the other parent approached her but the other parent claims she received a phone call. I used to be friends with the other parent but she turned toxic and has been harassing me ever since. I have a meeting with the head teacher when the children return to school.

I'd wait until you have the meeting and bring it up with the head to get their version of events before deciding on anything; you've no idea how truthful this parent is being but it would be better to have all the facts!

EmmatheStageRat · 08/04/2023 21:47

Janedoe82 · 08/04/2023 21:43

Depends what she was speaking to the other parent about? Maybe your child has had some issues with the other child she was trying to resolve.
If you have any sense you would keep your head down and not raise any further concerns 🙈

What a load of uninformed BS. Teachers and educators should not breach any confidentially, other than to safeguarding people for safeguarding purposes.

mangomama91 · 08/04/2023 21:49

Stressdmomma · 08/04/2023 21:39

She claims the other parent approached her but the other parent claims she received a phone call. I used to be friends with the other parent but she turned toxic and has been harassing me ever since. I have a meeting with the head teacher when the children return to school.

Even if she was approached, she broke her confidentiality by discussing it with a parent!

Kittybelle123 · 08/04/2023 21:49

@duvetcovereddissident So @Stressdmomma should just step back and let the SENDCo, the "professional" discuss her child with another parent? And then TRUST them enough to work with them?! I'm not sure that re-jigging the timetable would be much of an issue if the SENDCo is not even professional enough to NOT discuss (a) vulnerable child(ren) outside of their remit.

@Stressdmomma if, as you mentioned, you have evidence of such a breach, then you should stand your ground and ask to work with someone else. You will never feel able to trust this person again. A letter to the head, copying the Governing body, including your evidence also sounds in order. Not sure what has been breached - as GDPR does cover health, but privacy / confidentiality have for sure been massively invaded.

I wish you all the best. As a fellow SEN mum it is way too easy for us and our little ones to be swept under the carpet Flowers

justasmalltownmum · 08/04/2023 21:54

Yes you can ask.

itsgettingweird · 08/04/2023 21:56

Janedoe82 · 08/04/2023 21:43

Depends what she was speaking to the other parent about? Maybe your child has had some issues with the other child she was trying to resolve.
If you have any sense you would keep your head down and not raise any further concerns 🙈

Eh?

There is a possibility someone in a position if trust broke confidentiality.

Until an investigation confirms or disputes that the OP obviously doesn't want that person to gain anymore confidential information.

Why should she shut up instead of protecting her family?

Jonei · 08/04/2023 21:56

Yes I would certainly ask that someone else stands in for them. And I hope you have raised a complaint about this too.

duvetcovereddissident · 08/04/2023 21:56

well, ask then, if you want to.

I don't think this sort of complaint against people involved in a child protection hearing is particularly unusual, and it generally isn't allowed to disrupt or delay anything.

In this case it sounds like a bit of he said, she said, and all just hearsay as well,

and a previous poster pointed out, you are not doing yourself any favours if you don't cooperate.

And the chances of anyone being available to replace a SENCO is pretty small. Someone else has got to drop their classes and set cover and be available at short notice???

You say she is being investigated? But your later posts imply that is what you hope is going to happen, but you have not made a complaint yet?

it all sounds like blowing smoke around, to be honest, but go ahead, ask, if you want to, but think about it first.

GemGemGemGemGemGem · 08/04/2023 22:03

Definitely need more context for this one. The SENCO at our school regularly speaks to me about another child with an EHCP in the class. There are ongoing issues between them, and while I haven’t but told any details about her diagnoses, I know that she has behavioural, social and hearing difficulties as this is relevant to my own child’s difficulties with her. They are grouped together a lot, as both have quite significant special needs, but they are totally different types of SEN. I would have no issue with the same level of detail being shared about my child to the other child’s parents. If she was spilling her guts about your home set up, relationships, doctor’s reports etc. that would be a very different thing.

Expo23 · 08/04/2023 22:04

Child In Need and Child Protection meetings are different things.

Only certain staff can attend them. If you are wanting the member of staff replaced state your intentions to the school ASAP as it could be tricky. It could be that the school or staff member have decided to do this anyway if an issue has been raised. It depends on the significance of the data breach and what has or will be put in place.

As an extra, I don't any school with more than one SENDCO. They can have an assistant or a deputy but never known two at a school.

Hercisback · 08/04/2023 22:07

Your second post implies more of a "he said, she said" situation than actual evidence confidentiality was breached.

PinkButtercups · 08/04/2023 22:10

Of course you can request and the first poster brushing off that she broke GDPR and spoke about your private life to other people is absolutely disgusting. She shouldn't be in that job at all if she can't keep her trap shut.

GoodChat · 08/04/2023 22:13

Hercisback · 08/04/2023 22:07

Your second post implies more of a "he said, she said" situation than actual evidence confidentiality was breached.

No it doesn't. Whoever contacted the other, it's irrelevant. Both parties acknowledge a conversation about OP's child was had.

EmmatheStageRat · 08/04/2023 22:13

GemGemGemGemGemGem · 08/04/2023 22:03

Definitely need more context for this one. The SENCO at our school regularly speaks to me about another child with an EHCP in the class. There are ongoing issues between them, and while I haven’t but told any details about her diagnoses, I know that she has behavioural, social and hearing difficulties as this is relevant to my own child’s difficulties with her. They are grouped together a lot, as both have quite significant special needs, but they are totally different types of SEN. I would have no issue with the same level of detail being shared about my child to the other child’s parents. If she was spilling her guts about your home set up, relationships, doctor’s reports etc. that would be a very different thing.

This SENCo is massively unprofessional and should not be in their job as they are not fit for it.

Original poster
Stressdmomma · 08/04/2023 22:15

My children get along well with hers and there has never been an issue with them. The report states what was said and it has nothing to do with who gets on with whom. If this was an issue we would both have been approached, the situation explained without mentioning the other children's names and a plan to rectify made.

OP posts:
Original poster
Stressdmomma · 08/04/2023 22:22

For more context, the report states that the other parent spoke to the school about an issue we had at home (one of my children's sensory seeking behaviours that we are struggling to direct positively instead of his current negative display). This parent was not aware that my child has this issue and the teacher has no reason to believe that they did as the other parent is not on the list of appropriate adults for my child. Also this is in regards to child in need not child protection. Child in need is voluntary to receive help for children that you may be finding difficult to get without help. Child protection means they think your child is at risk.

OP posts:
Soapboxqueen · 08/04/2023 22:29

So does the report state that parent A spoke to the school about an issue you have at home and you believe the only reason parent A knew about is because the Senco had told her?

Or did parent A report to the school that the Senco told her something about your child which she shouldn't have known?