LEA taking the whole packet of biscuits! reproduced with permission by the author
The following is pasted from an e-mail sent to a list I am on. The person writing has been doing an awful lot of work finding out about the policies of different LEAs etc. This is really very worrying. In fact, this particular LEA person puts me startlingly in mind of "Professor Umbridge" from Harry Potter…. very nice, but very, very evil!
A very nice normal rational and reasonable sounding woman- their Principle EWO , who was convinced that their policy was only common sense and that all of G. Manchester were following it
Thier policy is that they have a safeguarding duty to all EHE children (she mentioned the review). Therefore any family that does ‘not even let us in the house’ is reported to social services and the police. because SS have nothing to go on it seems that the police make spot checks. She said it was ‘common sense’ that if a family refuses their requests of a visit that they may be hiding something. After all EHE parents can do ‘whatever they like’ in terms of education. She said they try and track across all LA’s if a family move and do not tell them a new address (even those with no concerns previously) and also check with all agencies the moment a new child is registered , including school records . I did ask if they would send the police round to my house as I would refuse a visit but would send them a written statement and plan and she really seemed to miss my point- i.e someone as obviously
as clever and articulate as me would not be of concern but yes ALL families are reported if they refuse visit. and what bothered me the most is she sounded so reasonable and concerned.
…I have spoken with 2 really hostile EWO’s and this kind of opinion coming from them would not have surprised me- but the hostile ones tend to be tight lipped and will not tell you anything except that their attitude indicates they are suspicious.
I think it helps that I contacted Trafford by initially saying the legal dept gave me her name and that i was presenting a submission to the select commitee and the House of Lords this week (well a slight exaggeration but we will be there talking to Lucas)- basically I did not get the usual question….’and you’re calling from where?’- to whihc they expect me to say some official office and always say from my home -at whihc point they realise its a service user a mere parent they are talking to!! I think she assumed I was an official bod and she talked to me like I was ! once she twigged she kept bringing up the ‘common sense’ approach and her own opinion
The irony is that the next LA used the same term- ‘common sense’ in relation to visits and said they have no problem providing the written plan is ok and there have been no issues previously flagged and were not disparaging of EHE in general. anyway
TRAFFORD-is definately loving all the recommendations and already using them as policy (except of course the ones that are possibly helpful). The EHE department of the future should Badman recos come into guidelines, or heaven to Betsy , LAW!
