Mediation

[OneInEight]

Just received ds2's final statement with which we disagree with school placement - we want specialised setting - they want mainstream. In the accompanying letter it mentions a mediation service to resolve disagreements. Anyone had success with this route or would you advise going the appeal route.

I don't think that there is anything stopping you from lodging an appeal AND setting up mediation. I would recommend that you do lodge an appeal - even if you don't have to go through with it. If you went just for mediation (without lodging the appeal), I suspect that this will just serve to give your LA more time to deny your DC provision, and ultimately you'd have to lodge an appeal anyway.

Who is providing the mediation? If it is Parent Partnership, don't forget that they are funded by the LA and most (but not all) physically sit in the same office as the SEN team. This hardly makes them independent.

We've been through mediation and in our case it wasn't totally effective with downfalls, however has also been noted the differences between us and school to help with change of school. There is only one special school in the LA and DS was on the roll since being small. There were four outcomes with the feedback, total agreement, partial agreement, conditional agreement and no agreement. we went with conditional agreement which school then failed to meet. Hope this helps x

We had a totally independent mediator by an agency, however he was an ex teacher.

I would lodge an appeal and then make positive enquiries about the mediation service. Ask for their details and the qualifications/experience of the mediator, as well as who is funding their service. Then politely decline unless throughout your enquiries there is any glimmer of hope that the LA will change their position.

The problem with mediation imo, is that a child's rights is not something anyone should reach a compromise on.

Thanks. It is not parent partnership but is a service funded jointly by several neighbouring LAs so not exactly independent. At the moment I can not see a compromise - so maybe mediation would suggest some alternatives.

Ask them to fund your own choice of independent mediator......?

I'm with Star - I really don't see how you can mediate over a child's rights.

There was quite a heated thread on mediation last month - including contribution from a professional mediator. You may find it worth reading

Mediation Advice Please