PhD dedication

[appropriatelytrained]

I'm getting my PhD bound. I'd like to dedication to all of you brave folks forced to battle for our kids. You've absolutely kept me going and got me through this

I'm looking for a pithy quote or saying from someone of note to sum the whole thing up

So far, I'm considering
Truth is mighty and will prevail. There is nothing the matter with this, except that it ain't so. ~Mark Twain, Notebook, 1935

Any advances!!!

I made that point to her and banged on about outcomes but they won't change the way they work. This wouldn't be so bad if they didn't also lie about that too.

Do you think any of this mess (failure to do one of 3 targets, failure to record work, arguments about measureability, lack of progress etc) will be in her report? No, it will be a glowing tribute to the marvels of collaborative working.

Sod the child involved.

Similarly, with the EP. One came in and assessed DS in a cut and paste report for SA. That was the last time we saw her. Another one came in after me pestering the LA for support regarding the implementation of the programme. She chatted to the TAs and me and SENCO and left some advice. She didn't meet DS.

Now she's been added as a witness. Why? Because they've got nothing else.

I asked if this meant she was now going to be working with him. LA say 'he doesn't have guaranteed EP support in his statement'. Yes, I know that, so what the buggery hell is she doing at Tribunal.

I've now asked for her file and she didn't even appear to know she was listed as a witness.

If they sat down, in a room, decided to send people out to meet my child and then talked to school about what they understood, they could draw a decent statement up in half the hours they've spent producing this crap and covering their arse.

I had to laugh when the tribunal asked the Autism Advisory Teacher what the transition plan was for ds and she replied 'well, first we'll have a multi-disciplinary meeting'.

I expected the tribunal to laugh too, but they also nodded along -

Aaah the elusive multi-disciplinary meeting. We have been chasing one of those ....

Well Star, if I talk to people I want them in stark terms to put their lives on hold if they wnat to get naywhere.

In a scenario like that you have described, that's where an impartial person is good to have there to paraphrase and transcribe their assertions

'So Mrs Jones, as I understand it you do not keep quantitative records as in your opinion, the words of an untrained TA who is not here today and has given no written testimony is evidence enough? Yes?'

I'd had a lot of fun doing that job.

warn not want

OMG, I've found my niche!

Independent impartial meeting goer for hire. Yay!

I do say it all as a parent, of course, but at best I get refusal to answer and at worst I get personally attacked or taunted for having lost the tribunal.

Aah, you would be very good. I would hire you!

What do you reckon my next step should be?

(i) Say nothing more and just leave it to Tribunal - problem is that would just become an argument about their crapness that the Tribunal may not want to hear

(ii) Write formal letter to head of dept asking her to confirm what I have been told about her department's policy/practice in relation to working with schools, record keeping, measuring targets not quoting above guidelines to see what she comes back with

You need to have someone with you in every meeting though.

Someone who looks smart and authoritative, has files,paper and writes copiously with a nice pen and says little apart from asking for clariication/repetition of chief outrages.

Introduce them as 'my representative' or 'a memeber of our team' and leave it at that.

Doesn't matter if it is the woman from the corner shop-as long as she looks and acts the business.

Thanks. You see, I usually do but this was a statement visit for his S&LT and it just seemed to awkward to do that.

Lesson learnt.

Never let your guard down.
Even especially when things are going well.

I consider myself to be on amber alert at all times with relation to my child, even though things are going great.

I shall make it broad in questions rather than quote guidelines as they will just parrot those back to me if I do. I was going to ask:

1. Are baseline assessments taken at the beginning of each S< programme?

1. Is it correct that after targets are set, S< do not provide schools with guidance on how to record the work taken to meet the targets?

1. Is the method of recording of work left entirely to the school?

1. Who is responsible for measuring progress?

1. How is progress measured?

1. What is the S< role in measuring progress?

1. Does the S< work with the child to measure progress?

1. How does the S< satisfy herself that staff are competent to undertake the programme she has designed?

Anything else?

That's a pretty good comprehensive list.

Also
What is the evidence base for the interventions you recommend?

How do you demonstrate to educational staff and parents that measurable progress has been made?

How do you sleep at night?

Ta Moondog

Star

oops sorry!

"Is it correct that after targets are set, S&LT do not provide schools with guidance on how to record the work taken to meet the targets?"

Change to:

"What guidance do you provide to schools on how to record the work taken to meet the targets?"

Add

"What mechanisms have you agreed with school that ensure the programme is updated between review periods if data shows that no progress is being made?"

In fact, I would say what guidance did you provide... because you know they didn't.

I don't mean to be a misery guts but I have enough experience to know now what my lot would respond...

"What guidance do you provide to schools on how to record the work taken to meet the targets?"

Answer: 'It is an outstanding school and the teachers are very experienced. They set IEPs and progress is recorded that way'.

"What mechanisms have you agreed with school that ensure the programme is updated between review periods if data shows that no progress is being made?"

'We liaise and work closely together and monitor progress though IEPs'.

I HATE IEPS!

Yes, you are right. But I don't see that those answers comply with the guidelines working has mentioned and I'll hit them with that next.

I'm not expecting change but at least they'll know that I know there is just a little fat man behind the emerald curtain.

Yes, you're right appropriately, I suppose it is why I have found that the best strategy is to follow up meetings in writing for 'clarification' then setting out the 'guidelines' that no parent can be expected to know in detail off the cuff.

It has kind of worked. I get lots of apologies. Not a lot else though, except an offer of another meeting far far into the future to 'discuss my concerns'.

Mentioning HPC Standards of Proficiency should put the frighteners on them in this context.

Do you think I should mention that straight off working or wait for their response?

Wait probably! But have it at your fingertips so that when they give you the sympathetic look and explain SLT doesn't work like that, that you can say "well that's interesting because here it says...." etc.