tribunal and things

[Flora]

finally got my case statement in for the tribunal on february 28th. Just waiting now for a copy of the LEA's case statement.

 

IPSEA are tackling the LEA regarding their unwritten policy on restricting the amount of advice professionals can make on educational provision. The IPSEA legal dept told me they recently had to tackle my LEA for exactly the same thing.

 

I've requested a mediation meeting to discuss the dreadful email a LEA officer wrote about me to our County Councellor. I've got all the documents together to prove each and everyone of his lies.

 

So everything is sorted or being sorted, now I just have to wait to see what the tribunal outcome will be.... 12 weeks, 6 days, 20 hours, 50 minutes and 53 seconds... and counting.

 

Flora

[pearl]

well done you. Fingers crossed.

[oxgirl]

Well done for getting everything prepared and ready, it must have been a real ordeal. Just a matter of waiting now, I guess. All the very best. <'> <'>

Did you visit the school yet?

 

~ Mel ~

[Flora]

Well done for getting everything prepared and ready, it must have been a real ordeal. Just a matter of waiting now, I guess. All the very best. <'> <'>

Did you visit the school yet?

 

~ Mel ~

 

 

Mel, yes I did but not since July. But my independent EP is familiar with it and she says it's not suitable, and apparently they are full??

 

flo'

[BusyLizzie100]

Mel, yes I did but not since July. But my independent EP is familiar with it and she says it's not suitable, and apparently they are full??

 

flo'

 

We have similar issues, Flora, and basically it appears that there is NO school that's suitable for my littl'un! however, we are still trying...

 

What kind of school are you hoping for? General opinion re my DS2 is that he is a mainstream child, but to make it work in mainstream they would have to set up so much that it would be like setting up a mini 0ne-man special unit for him! My argument is that an autism-specific school is what he needs and that is what we are going for.

 

PM me if you like and we can discuss school specifics!

 

Lizzie xx

[Flora]

I've pm'd you Lizzie

[BusyLizzie100]

finally got my case statement in for the tribunal on february 28th. Just waiting now for a copy of the LEA's case statement.

 

Flora,

 

How long did it take you? I'm trying to put mine together now and it's HARD! Can't seem to get it right. I just get upset.

 

Lizzie

[Flora]

Hi Lizzie,

 

<'>

 

It's hard to put a time scale on how long it took. I've been preparing this and gathering evidence since July. I am very fortunate in that I have a solicitor and a barrister representing me. The solicitor wrote the actualy case statement but all the hard work in producing the evidence and highlighting key points was done by me.

 

If I'd been writing the case statement I would have written pages and pages. However, the solicitor's case statement was a list of numbered points and bullet points and a few short paragraphs, and was only two pages long. I was a bit nervous about the shortness of such an important document; however the solicitor pointed out that the evidence of the case is in the professional reports and the case statement should be a document that highlights the key facts and issues of contention, and should state what you are asking for and not repeat what is already in the evidence reports.

 

The barrister is going to produce a proposed statement as a working document to be used on the day of the tribunal.

 

I can totally appreciate how stressful it is to write; it was hard enough gathering and reading through all the evidence.

 

I also submitted as part of our bundle of papers a parental statement to be taken into account. I have done this because I know that I will find it very difficult to articulate myself on the day of the actual hearing.

 

sorry I couldn't be of any more help.

 

Lizzie, don't know about you, but I feel mega every time I think of it (which is most of the time!).

 

Do you have your date yet for your hearing? Have you seen my count down link in my signature?? Obsessed or what?

 

Flora X

[Kathryn]

If I'd been writing the case statement I would have written pages and pages. However, the solicitor's case statement was a list of numbered points and bullet points and a few short paragraphs, and was only two pages long. I was a bit nervous about the shortness of such an important document; however the solicitor pointed out that the evidence of the case is in the professional reports and the case statement should be a document that highlights the key facts and issues of contention, and should state what you are asking for and not repeat what is already in the evidence reports.

 

That's excellent advice to bear in mind. I did both my case statements on my own and was concerned to get absolutely everything on paper I could think of - so they were essays! I think as a parent one is so close to the situation it's difficult to separate out what is essential to your case from less relevant details - as a parent, everything is important, but the Tribunal panel are only concerned with the legal issues: i.e although they may be sympathetic to the general situation - they can only make decisions based on the law.

 

At the hearing, the parent has the chance to fill in the background detail and give a more personal perspective, so all of this doesn't have to go into the case statement.

 

My sympathies with you both. It's ###### hard work. <'>

 

K x

[BusyLizzie100]

Do you have your date yet for your hearing? Have you seen my count down link in my signature?? Obsessed or what?

 

Flora X

 

Yes we have, and I'm quite jealous of your countdown link! Our date is in March - soooooooo far away!

 

We too have a solicitor preparing the case statement, but it's the parental bit I'm having trouble with - bizarre, I know, as I'm usually only too ready to spout off about my son! I will get it on paper eventually, I just a bit overwhelmed today.

Lizzie x

[MichelleW]

I've only just sent off my appeal forms to SENDIST today - has taken me a week to write my reasons for appeal! I've enclosed all the professional reports, but reading this thread made me realise I'd forgotten to enclose a copy of the Parental representation that I had sent to LEA with my request for statutory assessment ( which was turned down )