Off to lunch with my local councillor

[call me jaded]

Our parents group must be making progress if we get invites like this.

 

No agenda

Not on anyone's expenses

Just a chat

 

 

and some work we had huge input into won an award last week.

[justine1]

Our parents group must be making progress if we get invites like this.

 

No agenda

Not on anyone's expenses

Just a chat

 

 

and some work we had huge input into won an award last week.

THATS BRILLIANT

[Sally44]

I'd be interested to know what the outcome was.

I had a meeting with the Director of Provision (or somesuch sounding name!). She basically said that she agreed with alot of what I was saying, but that budget restraints meant that any more funding for the ASD umbrella would mean cutting it from other areas. No more money in the pot etc.

So it would be worth going to that meeting with 2 or 3 specific things to talk about.

 

[call me jaded]

Well we talked loads and didn't leave until 3pm to pick up our kids. She said why are we not funding you, can you come on the scrutiny panel, to email her formally with some questions and took on board that the LA were not thinking strategically about ASD provision, that there was a real demand for secondary placements and lots of other things, that academies are not good for SEN. She said we confirmed some thoughts she'd been having and she's now in the position to get officers to answer those questions. So very positive!

[trekster]

I'd be interested to know what the outcome was.

I had a meeting with the Director of Provision (or some-such sounding name!). She basically said that she agreed with alot of what I was saying, but that budget restraints meant that any more funding for the ASD umbrella would mean cutting it from other areas. No more money in the pot etc.

So it would be worth going to that meeting with 2 or 3 specific things to talk about.

 

That sounds like a very common get out clause to me. We get that in our area "i have to protect my clients" type excuse.

[trekster]

Well we talked loads and didn't leave until 3pm to pick up our kids. She said why are we not funding you, can you come on the scrutiny panel, to email her formally with some questions and took on board that the LA were not thinking strategically about ASD provision, that there was a real demand for secondary placements and lots of other things, that academies are not good for SEN. She said we confirmed some thoughts she'd been having and she's now in the position to get officers to answer those questions. So very positive!

 

Pleased it went well.

[justine1]

Well we talked loads and didn't leave until 3pm to pick up our kids. She said why are we not funding you, can you come on the scrutiny panel, to email her formally with some questions and took on board that the LA were not thinking strategically about ASD provision, that there was a real demand for secondary placements and lots of other things, that academies are not good for SEN. She said we confirmed some thoughts she'd been having and she's now in the position to get officers to answer those questions. So very positive!

Thats great,well done to you Keep up the good work <'>

[Morgado]

I'd be interested to know what the outcome was.

I had a meeting with the Director of Provision (or somesuch sounding name!). She basically said that she agreed with alot of what I was saying, but that budget restraints meant that any more funding for the ASD umbrella would mean cutting it from other areas. No more money in the pot etc.

So it would be worth going to that meeting with 2 or 3 specific things to talk about.

 

Am I right in thinking that the Autism Act and accompanying strategy means that all Local Authorities will HAVE to address things like this? After all, it would be a bit silly having legislation in place to improve Autism services and awareness if authorities aren't obliged to do so.

 

EDIT - I'd also be concerned if they hadn't already started thinking about how to fund and comply with the Act when it comes into force, given that it's been well known about for quite some time now...

Edited July 7, 2010 by Morgado

[call me jaded]

Doesn't the Autism Act only apply to adults? Not ever looked at it.

[Morgado]

I think it is aimed mainly at adults in the specifics, but my understanding from everything I have read is that it is aimed also at improving provision and access to services, as well as mandatory awareness training for various organisations and public bodies, so as such aspects of it could be seen to be all-encompassing.

 

I think that a lot of the specifics haven't been worked out yet and will be in the strategy, which should be published later this year.

 

May be wrong though!

[Morgado]

Further to my previous post, I've looked into the Autism Act in more detail. I found this quote here:

 

<i>The Government has committed to amending the Children and Young People’s Plans (CYPPs), which are the key strategic planning tool for local authorities, as the Bill had suggested. Through a different Bill, called the Apprenticeship, Children, Skills and Learners Bill, the Government will place a new legal duty to ensure that local areas collate and share data on disabled children as part of their CYPP needs assessments and include children with autism in their plans for children's services. Ministers also made a commitment that the statutory guidance that accompanies these duties will state that autism must be specified as a specific category on these registers.</i>

 

This seems to show that there will need to be commitment that specifically adresses the needs of Autistic Children to compensate for the fact that existing legislation (such as the DDA) often ends up excluding those with ASD needs.

[KezT]

Through a different Bill, called the Apprenticeship, Children, Skills and Learners Bill,

 

that will never be enacted now I s'pect. The new gov't doesn't seem verykeen on enacting new laws, and certsainly not ANYTHING the previous gov't suggestedd!

[call me jaded]

You're right Kez. They starting again according to EDCM

Edited July 9, 2010 by call me jaded