i am currently going through sendis appeal to get my son into the right special school. The tribunal is going to be on 13th may and the council have just decided that they now want to go to mediation on the 9th may.
I'm really not happy about this and really don't want to attend. I feel that i will be pressured and bullied into accepting their proposed and unsuitable placement. I have agreed to attend because i don't want it to go against me at the tribunal and parent partnership have agreed to come with me although they have had no involvement in the case so far but if they don't come i will be alone as my solicitor is unable to make it.
I can't see the point in mediation so close to the tribunal and the mediator has told me to keep an open mind. There is no way that i am willing to negotiate my son's placement and i am not prepared to back down so i already feel that the mediator is negative about me because of this.
Has anybody ever been to mediation? especially so close to the tribunal? i'm feeling more stressed about the mediation than the actual tribunal!!
I don't really know what to expect and i'm worried about either losing my temper or being pressured into agreeing to something i don't want.