Parent Partnership

[debs40]

Has anyone ever taken a PP rep to school for a meeting?

How did it go down?

Yes, contracted by the LA but apparently 'independent' of them.

However, I have spoken to them and they were actually very on the ball and supportive. I wondered whether school would find it inflammatory

the advice from our PP was "ooh, its best not to bother trying to get a statement, cos you'll never get one"

I think you'd be hard pressed to find a decent one.

PipinJo do you mean they stopped you getting what was needed or that they kicked up a fuss to get what was needed

i had a parent partnership lady help me from the start of applying for a statement right till DS got his place in special school, just over 2 years!
She was fantastic!!!!!! i was very wary because i realised she was employed by LEA BUT i think i got very lucky and had a lady who gave me all the relevant info and would chase up LEA for me when things got nasty!
She really was my rock for 2 years!

Err I've never had a good experience with Parent Partnership, tbh. I had one come with me once to a meeting at the school. It didn't go well. She backed up the Headmaster's view that 45 mins a week was an acceptable level of support to give my DD on SA+ if you considered that the school's budget had to cover the costs of building 2 new classrooms (that my DD got no use of as she went to secondary before they were opened ). Yet my DD is now getting 11+ hours a week on SA+ at secondary, only a year later, and they're saying that's not enough. Depends on your area, from what I've heard. Don't bother if you're in Essex. From me AND about 5 other parents I know.

Sadly, they are a complete waste of time where I live. When I was concerned that the LEA might decided not to assess (they did) PP told me "No just means not now, not never!" Well, that's OK then!

They are paid for by LEA, 'nuff said.

Yes I was told as well to just forget about getting a statement, and sent a leaflet, and that was it.

Where in Essex are you Loudlass? I am in Basildon and have been told that the LEA "don't recognise dyslexia" which is worryiung as the paediatrician thinks my DS is dyslexic (as well as dyspraxic and social communication disorder)>

If the LEA pay their wages, they can never be independent and will be paid to keep parents in line, and to gently encourage them down the LEA's preferred route (no statements, School Action plus, no funding). It's the same with the portage service, who put me off applying for a statement for 2 years ("Why put yourself through all that stress, dear, the LEA have lovely SA+ and you don't even need a statement for that!"). Follow the money is a phrase I always find a good one - the PP Officer's end-of-year appraisal will be carried out by someone at the LEA, and will be based not on how many parents they have helped, but on how many parents they helped tow the party line!

Ours are a waste of time.

I don't think it even has to be as direct as LEA paying their wages and doing their assessments. They can be completely independent on paper, but if they are trained by the LEA and the LEA tell them all the good and fluffy reasons why the (illegal) process works and why (illegal) rationing is necessary etc. and they don't get the other side from eg IPSEA - then they give duff advice without LEA having to lean on them at all.

They are as good as the person in the role.

Ours is actually a great bloke, knows the boys names without a file,honest etc.

many are not.

It is interesting as I'm asking because the woman I spoke to was really impressively supportive of my complaints and seemed to know her stuff. She even told me to consider applying for a statutory assessment to make the school sit up and start a chain of accountability.

In fact, she seemed so good that I posted beacuse she would wipe the floor with school and that seemed too inflammatory a move!

It is interesting as I'm asking because the woman I spoke to was really impressively supportive of my complaints and seemed to know her stuff. She even told me to consider applying for a statutory assessment to make the school sit up and start a chain of accountability.

In fact, she seemed so good that I posted beacuse she would wipe the floor with school and that seemed too inflammatory a move!

My PP are fab, they have been great with me sorting things out for ds2 and helping with ds1. I love my PP officers.

Another one who has had great experience of parent partnership. She actually told me what to be wary of with the council and the school. Didn't actually take her to a meeting though.

JP am in Colchester. (I grew up in Basildon/Laindon/Pitsea though!). And no, Essex don't recognise dyslexia, OR dyscalculia. Both of which my DD has been dxd with. It's poo. Although they do recognise dyspraxia......not as if those conditions ever go hand in hand is it....

"She even told me to consider applying for a statutory assessment to make the school sit up and start a chain of accountability".

Well this is good but beware of their limitations because they are not fully independent of the LEA and are employed by them. They will tow the LEA party line if leaned on. As Peachy rightly states they are only as good as the person in the role.

Debs - apply for this then asap!!. To quote the Nike tagline; just do it!.

Our PP lady was meant to be independent of the LEA but I have my doubts. We took her to several review meetings because it felt like an extra person on 'our side'. I felt it helped because the useless HT behaved better with an outsider there but she didn't really contribute anything.

I am a trained PP Independent Parental supporter and worked as a volunteer for a few years. I am also mum to a ds with ASD.

We were not trained by the LEA. Our training (12 weeks) was based on the Code of Practice. The only contact with the LEA we had was during visitor week when EP, SENCO and EWO came and spoke about their roles.

It was rewarding but hard work.

My own ds had terrible trouble with an unsupportive m/s school and with all my knowledge and the people I knew at the LEA there was still very little that I could do against a tyrant head with the governors in her pocket.