parent partnership

[showers]

Hi i dont know if anyone can shed any light on this issue but we are going to tribunal to try and get our ds into the secondary school of our choice and not the school that the LEA have named on his statement.We were under the impression that the lady from parent partnership would be coming with us to the tribunal as she has been to every meeting that we have had with the present school and knows of all the problems we have had with them. She has informed me today that she is 'not allowed to go with us to the tribunal' as she is employed by the council that we are taking to tribunal. Is this usually the case??? She would be ideal to explain how my sons behaviour problems are mainly down to the schools ignorance and how they fail to deal with his aspergers.

Hi Showers, I once thought that parent partnership schemes were impartial but my experience is that they are not always. I went to tribunal and discovered that the lady from my parent partnership scheme was the wife of the education officer representing the LA and the funding for the organisation she worked for came soley from the LA. I haven't used the service since though the La would love me to do so rather than question their practice directly.

I would recommedn that you try Ipsea or perhaps you already have? Good luck with your tribunal, you could of course request that she is ordered to attend by the tribunal but she may then become a hostile witness rather than a willing one. I had two such orders granted for "experts" (employed by outside agencies) who would have found it difficult to get agreement from their managers to attend if they hadn't been ordered to do so. I also had an order granted for the LA area manager to attend against his wishes, he didn't like that at all!

Thanks charlie06, I dont know about you but i am starting to get a little paranoid. Parent partnership has helped me quite a bit in the past but now that i really need her she is unable to help. I feel let down!!!I never realised that it was the council who paid her wages,how stupid am i?? The LEA are trying to send my son to a school that deals with mainly behavioural problems and parent partnership know that he hasnt really got those type of problems but because the school have no idea about Aspergers (they really shouldnt be allowed to have our special kids in their school) and that he does kick off if things arent explained to him properly,they are basically saying they cant do anything with him! What a load of bull! He has never had to be restrained and he has never hurt anyone,yet because he is 11 and 5'7 they are scared of him??? Not looking forward to the tribunal,i'm terrified! By the way did you win your tribunal?

Showers, I volunteer with my local PP and what the lady from your local one has told you is rubbish. Yes they are funded by the local LA but they are 'supposed' to be an arms length service and not under the control by them, minimum standards for PP state they should not even be housed in the same building and any part of the LA, unfortunately that is not always the case. PP is there for the purpose of supporting parents in things such as tribunals.
It is a shame you have both had bad experiences with PP as my local one is fantastic, very arms length in our own building, nowhere near the LA and basically left to our own devices. this explains it.
Charlie we do question the LA directly, in fact our local schools and sen dept hate us, hehe, because that is all we do.

Bloody hell Charlie, that is astounding re her being married to the education officer!!!

Hi showers, you're not stupid, the system is not right, you are right to expect a pro parent service..........it just isn't the reality in my local area and it sounds like not in yours either.

We got what we wanted from the tribunals in relation to both of our children but the LA has failed to implement the provision agreed so the fight goes on and fight I shall continue to do.

Hi keepingupwiththejoneses, I'm glad not all areas are like where I live. I have no faith now in any service linked to the initial service. There is a new parent partnership officer.........but guess what she doesn't have any disabled children. I think this is another missed opportunity to acknowledge the value of personal experience and to promote parents of disabled children.

Hi moondog, yes and not just any education officer but the chief education officer and not only did she work for the parent partnership service but she also sat on the scrutiny panel looking at issues in relation to children and young people service.......thus scrutinising the service her husband worked within!! Can you see why I'm cynical? Then get this, I was criticised at the tribunal by the husband for offending him by raising this as potential conflict of interest which he felt questioned his integrity!!! UNBELIEVABLE.

I had help from parent partnership and found my support worker was fantastic and very helpful BUT i also dealt with another lady who was a nightmare, not supportive and didnt like my 'forward' approach and pro active pre-emptive way i dealt with the LEA!
When we went to tribunal my PP worker did come with me but told me she could not speak to me in the room BUT would happily make notes on her pad and would make sure she was sat next to me so i could see these notes LOL

I found out after we won tribunal , a full time statement, enhanced package of care and we won a private special needs place for DS that my PP lady had actually left PP in my area and moved to another area of my county but had kept me on! thank god she did!!!!!!!!!!!!!! loved her!!!!!!!!

I also found alot of overlaps in this area. including the LEA stating no help without diagnosis and the CAHMS stating they did not label children and would not give diagnosis (and all this on a letter with the footer stating 'we work in conjunction with LEA!')

Unbelievable indeed Charlie. You are right to be cynical. Jeez, with 'friends' like these, who needs enemies eh?

Hi Bonkerz, glad you were helped by your PP. Multi agency working eh not sure working is a good description howzabout multi agncy dysfunction as a new term? At least it would be more honest!

Hi moondog, yes indeed, I don't actually have any gripes with the lady as an individual herself,or indeed her husband, it's more about integrity and honesty and once you get bitten and trust goes it's really hard to trust in the future. After all our children are so precious that we want what's best for them.
I only found out about the connections because I knew someone who worked for the LA at the time!

I told my dh about this as it shocked me (and him) so much.
I work within the 'system' myself and it is so bloody depressing how it is stacked against all but those with money/huge amounts of self-discipline/a willingness to kiss goodbye to months and months of their precious home life to swot up on their rights.

Did they use different last names?

Nope, same surname - just wouldn't neccessarily have noticed had it not been brought to my attention. Clearly La knew of the conflict. She was the representative for the diocese on the scrutiny panel not an LA rep but even so clearly a conflict.

I too work within the system but as a self employed person. I'm not sure how long I can sustain doing so as I am getting so dissilusioned by the dishonesty and manipulation of the more vulnerable in our society by those in "professional" positions allegedly employed to assist. I am always in bother because I won't turn the other cheek and will challenge discrimination and poor practice!

As i was enquiring earlier, has anyone taken pp to the tribunal with them as a witness???? Tribunal is looming and i havent got any witnesses to take with me apart from the pp lady,who as i said earlier would have been ideal but reckons she is not allowed??

she is not allowed to be a witness. I took my DS head teacher as witness.......Parent partnership can attend but not offer advice in the room but can offer support and may give you pointers in a break etc.

Don't know if you have tried Ipsea to see if they have someone who can support you?