Excluded from meetings as children under placement order

[charmed1]

I have received today from S***** Parent Partnership information about our daughter's Special Educational Needs statement review. This is especially important as our daughter will be moving from infants to junior school in September 2015. The panel to decide where her follow on school will be will sit in July. This meeting is so important and is due next month. We were told by the sw at our daughter's PEP meeting in March that "the way things were moving" we would not be allowed to attend but would receive the reports in the post. Same goes for future PEP meetings. Our son's next PEP is in July. We have date on report but no time. Our daughter's is in the next school year and at the school she is currently attending (her final year). We were told date, no time as we are not invited for reason I've said.

The thing that is getting me is that the sw is supposed to be moving back to her old job in child protection/proceedings. She only moved to looked after child in January! I'm still waiting for her to answer an email I sent her first thing first thing last Thursday. Has she moved/has she not? Clock is ticking for their time limited adoption search. They should also be looking for long term foster carers by now as well. We still have PR but it is being ignored.

My question is this.... Can I push the social worker to allow us to attend our daughter's SEN review next month? I am waiting for the LAC review early May to air my grievance over the exclusion from future PEP meetings as it will be just two weeks before they have to make their final decision to halt the adoption search so likely to have more ammunition at that time. Or do I let this ride for the time being and bring it up at the LAC review as well?

Thank you for reading this far and hope someone can give me some advise. Thank you in advance.

[ange301126]

Dear charmed,you are lucky you know where it is being held and if you know when why not just attend ? According to PEP and special educational needs paperwork by law parents must be invited.The CS might not want you there but the others will welcom you. If the social worker attends she will be unlikely to stop you when you walk in. Indeed , the others may think you have been invited as a matter of course. Often social workers deceive other professionals and when they ask where you are, she'll say "I don't know,perhaps she missed the 'bus or she can't be bothered."

[charmed1]

What it's all about is that by then they are sure the kids will be placed with adopters. Judge wants it listed for revoking placement order if kids not placed or nearly placed by 23rd July. So by refusing to give date/time she is just following the LA plan. It is sick as we still have PR. If they did find adopters then all they need to do is tell as per procedure and say meeting off. The school goes along with the social worker as does the foster carer.

When the arrangement was made for our daughter's next PEP the foster carer, teacher, trainee social worker and key social worker all knew that time was already up for our involvement. So just turning up won't work as we be turned away by the school office for sure.

[ange301126]

Dear charmed. They don't want you to interfere with assessments because they don't want you to get evidence or give it. They are dishonest and really they know the children will never get placed together within the time-scales. When it goes to Court,they don't want you to contradict their evidence that the children are thriving now away from you in care.

Only if you demand that the Court orders it will they produce evidence of deteriorations to court and even then they will not change their 'professional' views.Unfortunately,in my experience,the court always accepts their statements over and above medical evidence on the grounds that they have the overall view and parental responsibility.

Remember my warnings and get expert written evidence that their appraisals are unlawful( because legal guidelines haven't been followed.Otherwise the Court will follow their recomendations.

As for your social worker, do you realise it is the team leaders who pull the strings. That's why they won't decide anything for themselves.The team leader probably does not even know the children and his job is to follow well-rehearsed policies designed by those on high to get as many children as possible for the care system.Whether long-term fostering or residential doesn't matter to them. Whichever, they get well-paid for each child by the Government.

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Charmed1,

Whilst your children are subject to placement orders-they are still “Looked after children” and you still have parental responsibility. If your children were to be placed with prospective adopters, then the local authority no longer need to consult you about decisions. Until then you should still be consulted.
However, for specific advice about your son's special educational needs statement review and your daughters PEP you could contact the ACE-advisory Centre for Education.

Best wishes,

Suzie