Parent Partnership being abolished...

[daisy5678]

in my area, anyway, from next year.

(am namechanger but you do all know me!)

Didn't the Lamb report suggest that advice/ info services for parents should increase? Or did I imagine that?

They may be allowing an independent voluntary sector organisation to take on the advice role.

Nope. Will be done 'in-house' - so the LA will help parents fight the LA

I know they weren't always independent, but better than completely not independent!

I tried ringing my local PP once and I got put through to my SEN case officer person as the PP person wasn't in. Didn't bother ringing again!

Did read in the paper my LA are shutting the connexions career advice service and will be replacing it with a website

Am thinking of training to do SEN advice via NAS or IPSEA and then tendering to do the PP advice ourselves as a local parent group. Agree PP not independent but crucial for people who cannot easily access the legal info themselves and need guiding through it to have some support however basic. Will also be no legal aid for such advice if changes go through. Is ok for those of us with the ability to access this info but not everyone is so lucky esp given a lot of children with SEN have parents with SN.
You might want to think about telling this campaign group they are collecting info on cuts around the country here

It's on the 'consultation paper' for my area under the 'to be abolished' section

Just means all the parents who can't get on here, can't access legal advice, feel intimidated by LAs etc. etc. won't get any help to have their voices heard.

It's happening here. Parent Partnership weren't always perfect but at least a bit of support for many who needed it.

Wow. This sounds worrying.

I'm at a meeting tomorrow will see what their reasoningis

Our PP are the LEAs hand puppet so it won't be a great loss tbh. I phoned once because I wanted someone to take notes at ds's AR. They advised that I should be prepared for ds to lose some of his 32.5 hours 1 to 1 support as that sort of provision was unheard of but they'd help me keep 15 hours. Needless to say I went alone and kept the 32.5 hours

My parent partnership have always been very supportive and I hope they don't go.

parent partnership is pretty good here too, would be hard to see them go. I've found them very supportive.

Surely the more useful PP will be the first ones the councils put up against the wall...

Star, NAS are looking now for tribunal support volunteers - I'd expressed interest before and got an email. IPSEA permanently advertise I think! NAS only ask for a 1 year commitment (4 hours a week) whereas IPSEA ask for 2 years & for you to repay training costs if don't complete 2 years. So I am minded to go towards NAS just because life is too stressful to think more than 1 year ahead and also probably easier start with just 1 type SEN. The NAS are currently looking for help on tribunal support (paperwork and advice on tel) but will be looking for telephone advice line volunteers in Summer and you can register for an email to be sent to you at the time. I am thinking I will find the tribunal support work easier as don't nec have to commit to same time slot each week. Let me know if you put in! Its partly selfish I know I will end up back at tribunal at some point(s) so the training will come in handy. But also just want to do something about the total injustice I see going on all around me and which is only going to get worse. I'd like to be able to do some local statementing workshops / offer some parent to parent support to cover the basics and then can pass people on to NAS / IPSEA etc

It is in COP though you are right - although I suppose they will say thats only 'guidance'. Would have thought they would wait for SEN green paper though - perhaps they know something we don't.

I'll forward you the NAS email if you want - deadline 20 Dec.

Yes I think they have to have a good reason not to follow COP

Agnes I applied and got a telephone interview confirmed for Jan.