SEND Annual Report 09-10

[sugarcandymistletoe]

All the stats from 2009-2010 now available on their website - here.

I had two appeals that year so it feels strange to look at the numbers and think of my own cases in there.

Interesting that there are a few LAs which had zero appeals registered - Cheshire, Isles of Scilley, North Lincs, Newport, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Poole, St Helens. Is it that the provision there is so good that parents don't need to appeal or is it that other places have pushier parents? I suspect the latter - Surrey had the highest number of appeals registered at 147.

(have name changed as I think I've been rumbled by LA!)

Thank you for the link - just need it interpreted now

It would have been helpful if SEND had included some explanation about what the categories meant, eg part 1 struck out - does this mean the statement should be changed, or the parent's appeal struck out?

Does anyone else feel that the number of appeals registered is a bit useless without a table showing the number of 'SEN processes' requested? It would be complicated, factoring Annual reviews, Ammendments, SA requests, Unsatisfactory statement, etc., but '122 appeals' sounds huge if there were 122 requests. If there were 15500 requests, it starts to sound smaller.

good lord Kent where I am has got the 2nd highest amount of appeals! 141! no wonder my son got turned down for a SA

Thanks for posting that, very interesting

Lougle I think you're right, places like Surrey have a large number of appeals but it's a massive area. Where I live has a much smaller number but I think it's possibly quite a lot given It's a small area.

Rumbledore - a LA can ask SEND to 'strike out' an appeal if it thinks the case is clearly outside the scope of the Tribunal or is 'frivolous or vexatious', e.g. the child was over 16 before getting a statement, or a request for reassessment soon after an assessment with no evidence of any changes. There is no hearing at all if SEND agrees with the LA (but sometimes they don't).

Lougle, you're right, %ages would be more useful than just figures. SEND don't become involved though until an appeal is lodged, so they won't have data on SA requests etc. I think LAs should release this information - it's probably possible to get it under FOI, but I don't think it's routinely released.

I got that info under FOI really easily and, for once, quickly! Shockingly high number of LA withdrawals and only about 10% ever went to Tribunal hearing

what is FOI? that is worrying, i was going to go to tribunal for my son to be assessed after being told No

Freedom of Information (act).

This website www.whatdotheyknow.com/ is where you can make requests online - dead easy.

Herts doubled theirs from 58 last year to 101 this year.

Might enter them in the World book of records......

I think once a LA has a team together to fight appeals they have to use them to make them cost effective.