Children and Families Bill - call for action because THIS IS MY CHILD!!

[inappropriatelyemployed]

A parent sent me a link to this phenomenal piece of work by Merton Mencap's Kids First Parent Forum. There is a piece about it on the blog here

I am appalled that:

(a) the DfE can't be bothered to do their own research and this has been left to a parent group

(b) the big charities, who seem to have the ear of everyone, have similarly seemingly failed to produce any research of any value, either exploring the SEN system or the practical reality of the pilots

(c) that bodies like SENDirect have sprung up without any parental consultation or involvement and without any explanation

I fear that the Children and Families Bill is actually a welfare reform that will mean cuts to services, privatization and the creation of a market for SEN provision. The threshold for enforceable EHCPs is likely to be higher than statements and I fear we will see more and more kids left to 'school resources'.

I am going to tweet the link above to try and draw attention to Merton Mencap's research and highlight the need for more.

As MNHQ told us recently on the thread about 'This is my Child', it is always open to us to run our own campaign - and in the absence of anyone else doing anything, we may have to.

If you tweet and want to help, join us Unlawful@sencollusion

I'm reading the parents' comments on the original report and it is absolutely heartbreaking

That old chestnut "it will all come out in the wash" springs to mind.

Unfortunately, I wouldn't put it past this government to recognise that people are now elucidating data to confirm what has long been suspected by many and use it as an excuse to rush the changes through even faster and make access to an appeals procedure even more difficult for the majority of parents (it already excludes most parents with neither the organisational ability nor the financial resources to make good use of the process).

The outsourcing of services to private consortia is already going ahead. Last year, we were invited to a consultation on changing the way that paediatric SALT and OT are run, in our County. I say "invited" - I wouldn't have known if it wasn't for a tweet by a local BBC journo. Unable to attend the meeting, I completed the online questionnaire. There was no question of should these services remain within the NHS. The questionnaire was already biased towards these services being privatised. Even at "consultation" phase, it was already pretty much a done deal, no doubt with a provider already having been courted. Health authorities have been told that they have to do this with a certain percentage of services.

JJXM - it's also telling that there seems to be a rather lucrative tribunal industry. The parent who ended up paying £80,000 - utterly shocking Even more shocking, give that I've heard of several cases in our region that have been lost by spectacularly poor legal representation - both paid for and by charities. It's a bit of a racket, really.

Ourvye - are you happy for me to quote what you say - this bit on blog?:

The outsourcing of services to private consortia is already going ahead. Last year, we were invited to a consultation on changing the way that paediatric SALT and OT are run, in our County. I say "invited" - I wouldn't have known if it wasn't for a tweet by a local BBC journo. Unable to attend the meeting, I completed the online questionnaire. There was no question of should these services remain within the NHS. The questionnaire was already biased towards these services being privatised. Even at "consultation" phase, it was already pretty much a done deal, no doubt with a provider already having been courted. Health authorities have been told that they have to do this with a certain percentage of services.

Please - anyone else with experience on the ground of the reforms, do share!

Interesting, Polter.

I went to the hv today for a referral for ds.

She happily referred him, but cautioned that as services are now provided by Virgin, it may well be rejected. (she also said if so, then she would re-refer, and find an 'acceptable' route to ensure the referral goes thorugh, because she is no-nonsense and kicks arse. but I hate to think what would happen with a different hv...)

she also mentioned that she would have a think about how she worded the referral, because 'we don't know what criteria they work to, yet'.

Polter Thank you. Do you fancy writing something up for blog??

I am sure you have the skills but if you don't know any more about this than the link, I understand. Thanks for it anyway.

Newblue - can I use your quote too?

Anyone else tweet???

I don't tweet.

I am fine for you to use my info, such as it is. I am in Surrey, and today was told that children's services have been outsourced to Virgin. As of now, the 'chief' hv was unsure how to word a referral for a toddler (16 months) who is delayed in some areas of development (lack of speech, no imitation, currently fails the MCHAT) and has an older sibling with severe autism. She is fairly sure that the referral will get rejected, but time will tell. (she is totally pro-active, and will keep pushing the referral; her problem is she doesn't know how to get a child that she agrees shoudl be looked at a little more closely, onto a waiting list)

I will (no doubt ) keep you all updated on how this turns out.

Great - thanks!

Essex have already outsourced children's OT provision. I was told that at Tribunal back in July. Although I was too gobsmacked to remember to write down the name of the company. So, sorry, I don't know who too.

I was on the Personal Budgets Parent Consultation Panel until I asked why 'obviously DPs couldn't be used for Education and provision would need to be under the control of HTs not Parents' then I mysteriously disappeared from the published group list.

It's a bit of a bigger story than that though so I wouldn't feel comfortable insisting that this is what happened (though I believe it was).

Well Done Merton Mencap though.

But good grief, WHY are they the only people in the WHOLE COUNTRY that seems to care enough to do it? What about the large well-resourced charities? Surely this is supposed to be their bread and butter?

I agree. It's so disappointing that those charities and the consortiums that represent groups of charities are saying nothing.

Yet they get all the air time and money - perhaps that is the connection? It goes back to 'I stuffed their mouths with gold' again.

Can I suggest that you review the analysis from IPSEA as a starting point.

www.ipsea.org.uk/news/changes-to-sen-law/children-families-bill-impact-.aspx

Thanks Nigel. I am aware of IPSEAs work but not sure what this adds to the points that are being made about the marketisation of the system or the likelihood LAs will dump kids off statements where they can.

Neither does it change the point that the big charities (and I don't mean IPSEA) could have been showing the lead on research in the absence of Government action. It seems to be they have all been too busy implementing the changes for the Government.

Interesting article today which quotes IPSEA in Guardian here

The level of corruption within the SN industry is mindboggling.

"Every child matters" - yeah, except when our back pockets become more important.

I can't even list the number of large charities that have left me disillusioned and disappointed with their responses to the reforms over the last year or two. Shame doesn't seem to be a concept that's well understood anymore.

Don't even get me started on outcomes v accountability. This nations literacy, numeracy & criminal justice stats are an embarrassment to a developed nation yet the crabs in a barrel nonsense not only continues but is encouraged to smother anything of true value unabated.

WTF do Virgin know about how to help our children? The funds are there to really change the outcomes for the next generation yet they are not being allowed to reach those individuals and organisations who know how to help our kids. I honestly think history will be disgusted with this era.

It's the hypocrisy I can't stand - at least banks etc are HONEST about the whole "greed is good" ethos iykwim.