Independent supporters

[Icimoi]

Announcements have been made about how the money given by the government for independent parental supporters is being used - mainly by going for existing parent partnership organisations. The whole process has been organised by the Council for Disabled Children.

Their approach is, however, worrying to say the least. The following is a quote from Board Meeting minutes -

CL [Christine Lenehan, of CDC] reassured the board that Independent Supporters will be working with and not against LAs and that legal training is provided to give Independent Supporters an understanding of the legal framework of the reforms, not advice on how to challenge LAs on the law.

I would love to know why she thinks it would be wrong for independent supporters to advise parents on how to challenge LAs on the law if they're not complying with it, and indeed why anyone needed reassurance about that.

No it does'nt surprise me either.

I can only speak about my LA but they are really panicked by the idea of parents understanding the law and the rights of their children.

I cannot imagine the government wanting to empower us any more

Oh for goodness sake if they stop ignoring the bloody law there to protect our children's rights it wouldn't matter who knew the law cause they'd be upholding it. I am so blinking sick of the level of control these people have!

How the heck can they use the terminology parental supporter perhaps local authority colluder might be more honest at least parents would know where they stand. You can't support parents without challenging the Local Authority. Maybe Christine Lenehan could come on this board and ex

That should have ended explain what the purpose of more toothless pretence will be and how that will benefit parents or children

Agree not surprising. So basically an extension of the LA, at least we know now. It's wrong because so many don't know what they don't know (iyswim). I have had brilliant advice on here and from lurking. And from Ipsea. I remember a poster on here (sorry can't remember who) said the government should give the funding from parent partnership to ipsea, that would make a real difference.

As I understand it, IPSEA applied to be IS but were rejected because there were 'stronger bids'.

I think that says it all.

Didn't know that inappropriately. Not surprising either.

Apparently the charity chosen to give legal advice was SENSE, which primarily supports children with visual and hearing impairments. No doubt it's a great charity, but you'd think it would make sense to go for a charity that covers a wider range like, um, IPSEA. So far as I can tell from their website, they actually farm out their legal support to a firm of solicitors, so exactly how much legal support can they give?

I rate IPSEA highly but am not sure all of their volunteers would see themselves as parental supporters, I think there is a difference between being impartial and independent and being a parental supporter. As a parent I want a parental supporter not an impartial or independent person. I am not saying IPSEA wouldn't have been well placed to develop such a scheme though. What's happened to SOSSEN they never seem to be mentioned anymore?

SOS!SEN are fine. I went to a workshop with them a couple of weeks ago - I spoke to Marion Strudwick and Martin Dean, who I've known for years. They are expanding their advice centres and training more volunteers.

That's good they used to be mentioned a lot but doesn't seem so much lately.

I think it does depend on what you the IS to be and presently they seem to be touted as all things to all people - it makes the Government look like they are engaging with parents' concerns, keeps LAs happy as they have extra people to help shift kids on to EHCPs and charities get money.

No one seems to be considering what was needed, what parents and their kids want, or how they are realistically going to measure outcomes against such a nebulous brief. But then, that's probably the point.

Glad to hear SOS-SEN are still active - they haven't been involved much on social media but I always found their advice to be very robust!

Here's Maxwell Gillott's view on it
www.maxwellgillott.com/news/2014/jul-2014-non-independent-support-programme.aspx

So more of the same then, the promise of support turns out to be more support for LAs and less challenge to their vile practices in education.

SENSE are pretty competent at what they do in this field, according to parents of deafblind children I've met. They already employ their own family supporters, and get them solid legal training. I'd be surprised if they didn't do a decent job, tbh, especially as they are doing it in partnership with legal folk with a broader range of experience - here's who they're working with.

As for the IS thing itself - words fail me. They won't be independent, because the contracts have been mostly sewn up by groups with pre-existing financial ties to the LA. And they won't support when you need it most - when it involves clashing with LA policy and practice.

How any fucker has the gall to call these people "independent supporters", I honestly don't know. The Soviets had a phrase for people like this - useful idiots - there are far, far too many charities out there claiming to stand up for our kids who fit this description.

Chocolate fire guard anyone ?