Panel said no!

[StarlightMcKingsThree]

on what grounds

you know you have to ask why and then explain to them why their reasoning makes no sense. have a large glass of wine tonight and then write a polite letter in the morning.

It's okay. Really. You know what I am?

Stressed? Frustrated? Outraged?

No.

Bored.

I have an explanation.

Most of it is nonsense but some of could be said to be reasonable, though only reasonable because the system is warped i.e. they just discovered that they don't actually have all of the Annual Review documentation after all and don't feel able to make a decision without it.

I would ask why the feck they only just realised they didn't have it and what they think their monitoring role actually is then!?

I don't know what happens now Polter. At least I don't know what THEY will do.

I know full well what I will do.

I don't know any other industry where incompetence is so well rewarded. Most places you'd just be sacked.

My patience ran out, and I'm having real trouble persuading myself to opt back in. In terms of effort expended on my part v outcomes the current system seems so darn wasteful.

Ah, well you know how it goes, you know what to do. Rinse and repeat.

Sorry star don't know all your circumstances but surely they can't say an outright no !! Surely they must really postpone there decision until all the relevant paper work is available . As that sounds like what's caused this problem .
Have a day or two off then get back in touch asking what precisely is going to happen now , then work from that , it's all you can really do .

Sorry and hope this isn't going to affect your child help in the meanwhile , even if not correct support , some supports better than none , even if it's not aimed accurately .

I want to remove him from his current placement whilst they get their act together but that has also been refused on the basis that they have already paid for it

One of the school's I have requested them to consider is an OOC Independent SS (same as his current placement in 'type' but cheaper). They have refused on the basis that they would have to consult with all their maintained special schools first.

er, - clearly they must have done that which is why he's in his current OOC ISS? right? Otherwise they have failed in their responsibility to the public purse etc.

The other reason they gave was that they can't consult with a school that wasn't open yet.

Sorry star , wonder how they know that a school that isn't even open yet is going to be a suitable placement for your child , as we know people say loads of stuff that never materialises in reality .
Sounds like they payed this school , and are now unable to get there funding back so are not going to change provision because of this . Do you think this might be the case .
Is your son able to express a preference , that they take his consideration into view . As they do give a child view points with annal reviews . I do love the things my child says on these.
Know you been unhappy with this school for while due to there poor expectations for your son . Do hope you manage to get a solution sorted as increases the kids stress when they pick up on there parents stress levels.

I can see where they are coming from on the fees front - fees paid, they won't get a refund (and private schools require a term's notice or fees paid in lieu as well) - wouldn't really be a good use of public funds to pay up and then remove the child from the school (and presumably have to pay more towards some form of education)

And as to consulting with all their maintained schools - last time they proabbly did do this. it was what, 2 years ago? If I were to want to move dd I would expect her papers to go around the schools again - it's what made me so terrifed when her last school closed, tbh, as imo the LA would have been perfectly within their rights to send her papers round, and with the vast improvements made over ehr time there, there would have been a chance one of them woudl have said they could cope... And so, in a way, they would be doing their duty to re-check with maintained schools if they had a place/were suitable now some time had passed.

Sorry, I know that's not what you want to hear. And sorry they said no. what's your back-up plan?

Sorry Star. No advice, but just wanted to sigh with you.

They have paid the school a term in advance. It is reasonable that they would want the placement to continue at those funds have been used. However, it is not reasonable to allow a child to fall further behind in a placement simply because the fees have been paid.

That makes it about money and not the child.

It is also common for non-SEN children to move placements in-year after funding has been agreed/allocated. Why should a child, simply due to their SEN, be restricted from doing this? Presumably the LA is at liberty to make funding arrangements/negotiations with the school to deal with these kinds of issues too.

I don't mind them checking with their other maintained special schools tbh. I just thought that given they were unable to meet his needs then and his statement has not changed, based on the paperwork the conclusion will be the same unless they've suddenly improved their provision.

I suppose a probably sensible strategy of the LA would be to reassess!? That's a bit scary but not hugely.

They have agreed to consult with our local mainstream school that has a unit.

We have already approached the SEN person there with that option and decided against it, but not strongly. A placement there would bring other complexities some of you might be able to guess but I can probably work through that.

It shouldn't ever be about the money not the child, but so often is. The money has been paid, the school would be unlikely to relinquish it, and the sum is not a small one.

I would expect the LA to make noises re: giving the school time to up their game, or prove themselves etc, giving the LA the time to 'run down' the placement (and to find the next placement). I wouldn't expect an immediate overnight move type situation, except in cases of safeguarding, tbh.

I made it clear that I was looking for a new placement from Sept, not today.

They haven't been unreasonable I don't think, in many of their arguments, but reasonable or not, my ds if falling behind and every week matters.

yes, a reassessment could be on the cards, depending on what school the LA have in mind, and how easily they reckon they could get your ds in there.

my view of schools placement may be overly-cynical, but I would be wary of welcoming a reassessment. Ime the reports are written with a specific school in mind, and lead to a specific statement being written/re-written (I know there's always appeal, but it's a lot of stress and expense that you could do without).

ah, sorry. I might have the wrong end of the stic - I was responding to your post saying you wanted to remove ds while they got their act together. I read that as remove him NOW, and reconsider the general plan of action. I could see why LA would refuse to countenance this, as fees have been paid.

Do LA disagree that the school is failing ds/that ds is falling further behind?

I have an EP booked already. I wouldn't welcome reassessment but think it might just be something that needs to be done.

TBH his statement is odd and the result of years of bloody compromise, negotiation and agendas that contradict each other and present him as having a profile so far away from reality.

Saying THAT to anyone makes me look silly as we all know that the system is fair, reasonable, about the best interest of the child, incorporates careful consideration and assessment and results in a good specified and quantified document that meets the needs of the child...............

I'm looking for a new placement from Sept or before and I'd like to home-school until then.

TBH the LA appear very surprised indeed that I want to change his placement and none of the documentation (from the school) suggests it is anything but the perfect placement. Having said that, they only just realised they don't have it all

Hi Star, I've been away from the board a bit so had no idea what you were going through atm. Sorry to hear of continued woes with schools/LA (plus ca fucking change, eh). Are you asking for him to change school? I had no idea (stating the obvious, not having been around!) there were problems...

I'm not so happy with ds's school either and am considering options but don't really know where to start.

I suppose it all feels easier for me this time because I am not also trying to find place to live, a school for dd and a place to give birth as well as a school for ds.

Sorry you're having similar worries Bialy. I guess it was on the cards~!?

Oh dear. Well, I think it would be a bit more worrying if they agreed straight away, given the information they have.

I thought you had sent all the other bits that they had 'forgotten' to forward to the LA?