Anyone been helped by an independent parent supporter?

[Berry64]

I've seen on my local parent carers forum that there are independent supporters available to help with getting statements/the new ECHP's. Has anyone used them? Were they any good, or were they just teaching you how to suck eggs?

I'm seriously considering requesting a statement for my DD (aspergers +?), and wondering if these supporters are helpful, or just something else to have to 'manage' iykwim?

I asked my carers support. My key worker wanted to, but she is on leave :0( I'm going alone now. Dh has to have the kids

No-one seems to know much about independent supporters. But from what's out in the public domain, they're going to be a lot less independent and a lot less supporting than the name might suggest.

This blogpost is worth a look. This quote, from the minutes of an Independent Supporters board meeting, is particularly special:

"CL [Christine Lenehan, Director of the Council For Disabled Children and a key stakeholder in this project] 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 challenge LAs on the law.

Can't say that reassures me, Christine. Sorry.

don't they replace parent partnerships? my PP was useless. all in cahoots with the LEA.

ask here for advice instead

It appears to me that the 'Independent' bit refers to being independent from training outside of basic Local Authority policy.

Certainly they are independent from legal knowledge.

or at least legal knowledge that will be of any use to parents.