Petition re tribunal legal feed

[Spoc123]

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/132504

In case this is of interest

That should say fees not feed and it doesn't appear to have pasted a link, it's a petition asking that parents can claim fees for legal representation at education tribunals

clicky link

Signed. Grossly unfair right now.

It would be nice to think that one day they could also be made to backdate the funding they have evaded forcing families to appeal. Authorities like mine, Herts, have cynically used delaying tactics to maximize the time they don't have to provide funding until forced to by tribunal.

Tribunals are meant to be light touch, and families are not being given a fair hearing.

If this sentence was removed I would sign it! I completely disagree that families are not given a fair hearing, I went to tribunal twice last yr and once the yr before plus 2 visits as a witness and everytime the panel made absolutly sure that the families had plenty of opportunity to say what they needed to say. By clever and careful questioning the panel got all the information they needed!

I totally agree that it is unfair that LA's are employing barristers as mine did at 2 of the hearings I was at but Ithink the panels know how to sidestep them and find out what the parents need to say!

Having been to a number of tribunals I can see why you say what you are saying from some of those experiences as they would mirror yours. However others would fit into the families are not being given a fair hearing. One particular judge was previously discussed on mums net and I certainly experienced her telling a parent that Father Christmas could buy the equipment that was being requested for the statement. She was vile and completely undermined the parent. On another occasion a panel member reminded a LA lawyer of a statement she made in the hearing which she later denied making so maybe it's sometimes down to luck and who you get on the panel?

Maybe it is!

I want to sign it but I just think that the emphasis should be on the LA's to stop using barristers and wasting public funds rather than saying that the tribunals themselves are not fair!

If the LA's followed the law most tribunals wouldnt happen!

Maybe but when my LA used an external barrister he was lovely - fair and decent. The LA then backtracked on all of what he agreed leading to LGO findings against them.
The next hearing the LA lawyer was inflexible and rude just like the LA SEN officers. What is needed are reasonable LA SEN officers but I fear they are as rare as hens teeth!!