Would anyone mind if I ask a question?

[tinkgirl]

From a parent or carer point of view, what makes a good or bad professional?

I will be working with SLD young people when they are due to leave school. I want to do the best job possible to support young people and parents / carers so please tell me about good or bad services which you have had so hopefully I don't make the same mistakes

Have to nip out for a couple of hours so sorry for posting and running but I will check back in later.

Best of luck, the problem is there are very few services.To get any help
parents have to be very determined,we get fobbed of with all sorts of excuses.
People come out to see your young person once but never return with the
answer to help you how to deal with the situation.
IF sen mums think things are hard when the children are small,adulthood is a whole new game.
Dare I ask what job?

Thanks for asking.

Don't make assumptions that the parents/carers need support because they are stupid, unknowledgable or untrained. Assume the opposite, but that support is required because they are just extremely EXHAUSTED, and caring for a child with SLD is HARD WORK.

Assume too, that they are now as efficient as they are ever going to get and be very careful about making suggestions that they might like to wash up their dishes after every meal instead of when there are no longer plates in the cupboard. That kind of thing.

Be there to help, not patronise. And recognise that by the time they reach school-leaving age many of them will have had horrific experiences that have challenged their parenting, their sanity and their finances.

not sure if this is what your looking for but in our case we had so many bad experiences, due to ppl saying i'm going to write to xyz and it never happens. my dd has real trust issues with everyone now including me as she has had so many broken promises from different agencies. the ppl would explain things to me and dd and if dd didn't understand fully i would explain to her after the appointment, everything is black n white to my dd, so she saw me as a liar as much as the ppl who promised her help iyswim

Personally I prefer people who actually do practical things rather than spend half an hour of my time chatting and sympathising on my sofa, but I know not everyone feels this way. I would also like higher expectations of what can and should be done to help. My personal experience has left me in a fury about the number of signposter organisations and professionals and the lack of hands on help.

Oh yes. That's a great piece of advice.

Just, whatever you do, don't be simply a signpost. In my experience only use they are as a dogs toilet.

know what is available and deliver it.

don't make promises you can't keep.

listen, and act.

be absolutely proactive, not reactive.

I sit both sides of the fence, (SW and parent carer) as do many other parents here...

I would say be clear and reliable. If you say you will do it, then DO IT. If you later find you can't,then let us know, we are reasonable people .

Be reliable, be accountable, be flexible, look beyond the obvious, and don't be 'precious' about your skills. I knew more about certain areas than lots of the professionals we have dealt with, the best, most productive relationships have been where we have shared knowledge and skill without feeling threatened, for the benefit of our kids.

thanks to all of you who have posted. any more suggestions please keep them coming.

I was asked to cover this caseload a few months back and had to take some young people's cases to an educational funding panel. It was the most nerve wrecking moment since I started this job 18 years ago. Partly because I didn't know the young people involved nor their capabilities. I spent some time observing them interacting with their classmates in school so that I could talk from a first hand perpective IFSWIM. I met with parents and was very open about my lack of experience with SLD.

I've been asked now actually I beggedto take this caseload on full time so want to make sure that I do a good job. Unfortunately with budget cuts, time is going to be valuable and I will have to prioritise what I can and can't do, which will unfortunately mean 'signposting' unless the school is willing to pay for extra time.

So openess, honesty and doing what I agree to seems the way to go.