I have in my hand a piece of paper...

[inappropriatelyemployed]

Ok, I don't want to rejoice as I feel brutalised but I have an amended statement in my hand with an out of school package on it for DS.

SEVEN months after he left school.

They say they have agreed direct payments too - well we'll see.

But thank you all. Thank you Wet and Agnes and Star and Towie and Senmerrygoround and so many others who have been kind enough to support me - always. I am so sorry if I've missed your name out - I am full of cold.

You are special, special people.

Well done IE and I hope you can relax a bit now and enjoy Christmas.

Honk honk

I can't help thinking there is a sting in the tail! What are they going to do next?

Well done IE, really pleased for you and your DS.
That looking over your shoulder won't ever go away but just enjoy the win for now.

What is this BS that I keep hearing about- does it stand for bullshit?

well done, IE

abig - bullshit, well sort of.

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good for you x

congratulations.

Hope things get a little easier for you now.

YAY!!!!
Yes I know it's silly o'clock but that's brilliant news

Abig, BS is the director of a fast growing company selling legal services and training to LAs.

In some ways this is actually good news because the seem to have gotten away without basic understanding of education law, but on the other hand, to appeal to that market the company has had to be overtly anti-parent.

So pleased you've got this. So angry it's taken such a toll on you all to get it. You're an inspiration!

I don't know why, but whenever we get a decent result is what I think of. It's Admiral Ackbar's exhausted sense of relief that does it for me...

Thanks. Love the clip. I always think of this moment from a Few Good Men

Kind of like to think that I'm rattling Jack Nicholson and that there is so much more going on behind the scenes than we can imagine. It's a dirty game.

But I am proud that DS never had to go to a stupid CAMHS assessment or yet another NHS SLT just because they wanted to delay things. Everyone said 'you've got to look cooperative'. But why when the demands are so unreasonable? He is a child. Not someone to be poked and prodded because an LA is looking for a reason not to pay for his education.

So pleased to hear this IE.
Hope you can put your feet up for a bit.

But why is there no money?

IMO it is because children's with SEN have always been used for political and financial manoeuvring. And because there is a history of blaming greedy parents for demanding provision instead of directing anger upward, at those who set the budgets.

I agree. Half the people involved would be ideally suited to working for David Brent. Clueless and there is very little leadership in LAs these days. Anyone decent would get another job.

Nah - you're being too kind IE. There is absolutely no leadership in LAs (and never has been).
There are (piss poor) managers but managers are just administrators.

Leaders are inspirational.

Everybody has to be line-managed. But people choose to follow a leader - that's the difference.

What worries me about LAs and councils in general is that they have so much power - and we have little in the eway of counter-acting that power.

They consistently forget that - theyb work for us.

I agree Wet.

I worked briefly for the public sector (not the LA) at a senior level and the stagnation was tangible. Management above me were paid a six figure salary and felt that they owned the place. They were untouchable and made decisions how they liked but were often barely competent.

It was also incredibly hierarchical. No room for creativity or lateral thinking. The quality of output was adequate. I was treated with suspicion for having ideas. All anyone was bothered about was salary and pension.

Depressing. I lasted 6 months

Congrats to your DS by the way. Saw it on the Goose post. Brilliant news.

Thanks also for all the help you gave me xxx

Thanks IE. If anyone wants a cancer research scientist he's looking for work

I had 37 years in the type of environment you described.

I don't miss it for a minute!

But why is there no money?
the wonderful Mark Neary knows.
Read the posts dirty cash, personalisation -v- profits, decent proposal.

I like this bit there are many people with their fingers in the care pie. And whilst all these people take their huge slices of the pie, Steven gets blamed for having a large pie.

Can totally relate to that.

I agree Agnes. His post the other day about finding out how much all these agencies charged for their services, including transport, was shocking but unsurprising.

I never got chance to say well done, the other night, IE! (Saw your post in the G&C but got distracted by something)

Thanks Ouryve. I appreciate that. I feel a bit weird. Like, if it's true, I feel like I have just been discharged from the battlefield. But then half of me suspects it is is not real and it is a dream because you can't trust anything they say and even when they compromise there is a price to pay.