Our daughters SEN review was held (inresidential care S20) and we her parents were advised by the S/w not to attend which we agreed and S/W informed the school. We also informed the school, and we also asked for the information that would be used at the review ie reports etc, as we could not fill in the parental form as we have no information from the school about our daughter so could not do this. We were told that documents from the school had not been sent due to staff shortage. We asked again for them after the meeting only to be told that we chose not to attend the meeting so was not intitled to them. The school did say we would get a copy of the SEN report and all other documents with it, when the finished document is sent out to everybody else who attended. We did receive it 3 weeks later only to find lots of things in the report incorrect.
1. Stated on last page that the report had been agreed by all professionals and parents, this is not correct as was never discussed with us. When we asked the school about this was told the papers were agreed by all who attended the meeting and as parentsyou chose not to attend but that does not stop the paper work being agreed. Is it not right that we should have this discussed with us in either another meeting or even a telephone call?
2. It states that we the parents declined to fill in the form, (and no explanation), but we spoke in great detail with the school that we could not do this as we had no information about our daughter in school and they agreed we could not do this and said would explain to management.
3. It also says a Psychotherapy report is attached but was not. When asked the school for it they said that there was not one.
How can it state there is one?
4. The form that our daughter filled out is not her signature, and when we asked the school this was given the answer its all done electronically.
5. The last page of our daughters IEP was of another childs, the schools answer to that was, we complete a lot of report and use an electronic copier and sorter and this is just an error. We do not think that is good and worries us that information about our daughter could be sent to someone else.
We have asked for another meeting, so please if anybody could help us with the knowing the right thing to be asking or doing we would appreciate it.
SEN
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Suzie, FRG Adviser
- Posts: 4260
- Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:57 pm
Re: SEN
Dear Fishwillow,
Thankyou for your post.
In regards to sharing information and making decisions in about your daughter, this should have been done in consultation with as you keep Parental Responsibility (PR). As you point out this discussion with you could have been done at another meeting or via a telephone call. I would suggest that you keep working with Children’s Services (CS) and in future if you are can’t go to a meeting put your reasons in writing and share these with relevant professionals, such as the school. This then gives a written record of your reasons for not attending and you can be confident that all professionals are kept up to date. There is also guidance that maybe useful for you to read that is about CS joint working with families, chapter five of Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010.
The mention of a psychotherapy report that does not exist and another child’s IEP could be viewed as an administration error. However as you say, you are now concerned about how confidential information is stored.
Both of these points could be regarded as bad practice, which you have a right to make a complaint about. In the first instance this can be informal and directed to the social worker and their team manager. However if you are unsatisfied with the response you receive at this stage, you can begin a formal complaint. All local authorities have a complaints process. Here Challenging decisions and making complaints is our advice sheet on which can guide you through the different stages.
The school’s use of your daughter’s electronic signature is an example when you have not been kept up to date. Having a clear discussion with the social worker, making it clear that you are interested in the day to day occurrences at the placement could prevent something like this happening in the future.
Please don't hesitate to call our advice line should you need to discuss this further.
Best wishes, Suzie
Thankyou for your post.
In regards to sharing information and making decisions in about your daughter, this should have been done in consultation with as you keep Parental Responsibility (PR). As you point out this discussion with you could have been done at another meeting or via a telephone call. I would suggest that you keep working with Children’s Services (CS) and in future if you are can’t go to a meeting put your reasons in writing and share these with relevant professionals, such as the school. This then gives a written record of your reasons for not attending and you can be confident that all professionals are kept up to date. There is also guidance that maybe useful for you to read that is about CS joint working with families, chapter five of Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010.
The mention of a psychotherapy report that does not exist and another child’s IEP could be viewed as an administration error. However as you say, you are now concerned about how confidential information is stored.
Both of these points could be regarded as bad practice, which you have a right to make a complaint about. In the first instance this can be informal and directed to the social worker and their team manager. However if you are unsatisfied with the response you receive at this stage, you can begin a formal complaint. All local authorities have a complaints process. Here Challenging decisions and making complaints is our advice sheet on which can guide you through the different stages.
The school’s use of your daughter’s electronic signature is an example when you have not been kept up to date. Having a clear discussion with the social worker, making it clear that you are interested in the day to day occurrences at the placement could prevent something like this happening in the future.
Please don't hesitate to call our advice line should you need to discuss this further.
Best wishes, Suzie
Re: SEN
Hi
Its well worth going through the complaints procedure, we are currently at stage 3, with a meeting due this Friday, in addition if the SW is not documenting and doing the job properly, you can report them to the GSCC which is SW governing body.
SW do lie and twist things and claim parents agree when they havent seen the evidence to agree etc so this is bad practice and will also go against them during any court procedures!
Good luck
Carla
Its well worth going through the complaints procedure, we are currently at stage 3, with a meeting due this Friday, in addition if the SW is not documenting and doing the job properly, you can report them to the GSCC which is SW governing body.
SW do lie and twist things and claim parents agree when they havent seen the evidence to agree etc so this is bad practice and will also go against them during any court procedures!
Good luck
Carla
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