Hello mate. Hello again, how are you?
Not too bad, better than you from the sounds of things.
Sick as a dog mate, sick as a dog.
If anyone is going to hear me deep breathing or coughing I do
apologise. I.
Usually pay extra for that stuff.
Hey Thomas. Caught something, passed on to
the wife, wife gave it me and apparently I think I'm the
weakest of the three of us. Weakest link I.
Seem to be the one that's that's suffering with it the most.
Lydia's poorly as well isn't. She she she's very under the
weather Yeah we the three days of just like temperatures in the
30 nines early 40s and yeah just antibiotics and yeah fully
she'll snap out of. It how does she react if she if
she like? Just she's just at first it was
quite nice. She went really quiet, as most
of us parents can appreciate. But now it's the case where,
yeah, I'd I'd like her to return to being really, really loud in
the house and probably next week I'll wish she was ill again.
Yeah, where's that flu gone? Yeah, yeah, it's half term next
week as well. Oh yes it is.
Yay everybody. Half.
Term for the time you. Hear this, it's probably already
half term, yes. So we reached out to everybody
last week saying share. Share your horror stories.
Oh my God. On the back of the whole white
paper thing, we were like, actually, let's get out there of
how shit things have been for you and the responsible local
authorities, and we got pretty decent response.
Geez, did we get a response to write a book on it?
So we're going to, we're going to go through those, but before
we do that. Yes.
We're going to talk about Merlin.
The wizard. No, not that one.
So everybody knows about this. It's been all over the place,
mainly in entertainment. Have decided to pull passes for
children with special educational needs because
apparently they can queue just like the rest of them.
Yeah, autism, ADHD no longer ultimately recognised as
qualifying conditions do. You know what?
What's really sad about this is. That you have to queue to go on
the nemesis. Yeah, exactly.
It's this is like that one, that one thing where it's joy.
It's like you, you get benefits that are like financial, you
know what I mean? You get all these kind of
support, but this is like about joy and happiness.
This is like that one thing, that one benefit that gave these
children joy. And, and you can feel like your
peers, you can go on a ride and feel like your peers.
And, and obviously the difference was that you wouldn't
have to queue as long as a neurotypical family, which made
sense. Yeah.
To us, anyway. And I never before Thomas
someone I've said before, we've talked about how like we were
quite ignorant to special educational needs.
Yeah, but as ignorant as I was, I never saw a person in the
queue, the disabled queue at all towers and thought fucking hell,
why, why why do they get to go in that?
I never thought that. I never thought, oh fucking
hell, wish I was disabled so I could fucking get in quicker.
Like, do you know what I mean? No, I was disabled so I could go
on the Sonic Spin ball whizzer quicker than everyone else.
It doesn't slow things down that much, does it?
If you're in the normal queue, let's be honest, it's, it's,
it's not going to slow it down that much.
Geez, but what's the plan there Is that everyone just has to pay
for a fast track? If if you yeah, you pay for a
fast. Track or you may get a slight
discount. Or we used to like on on
occasion, if, if we, you know, we're doing all right
financially, we'd get fast track.
And essentially, I think that's what the kneeling pass was.
I've never actually had one. We've always talked about
because Thomas would love it. I mean, looks like he's not
going to get it, eh? But he he loves those kind of
rides. But we didn't want to take him
to the smaller stuff like this CBeebies land, wherever it's
called. Yeah, because that probably
wouldn't have been. Enough for him.
We took Lydia about two years ago for her birthday to CBeebies
Land. Yeah, did.
She love it. No, she.
Did autism. No, we thought because she she
loves Hey Dougie. We thought, you know what?
Let's let's get her there. Yeah.
And they had a Hey Dougie section of CBeebies land and she
was completely like out of it really.
Yeah, I think because we did the night stay before.
So we went swimming the day before, did the night and then
she was so unregulated being in a hotel room that she stayed up
the entire night. And then we went to see BBS Land
and yeah, she just like stood there in a complete day.
Yeah. So I didn't didn't take it in.
But the good thing was though, we did take on a few of the
rides, you know, like the like on a boat that goes around a
little kind of stream, whatever it is, you know, we sat on there
and did all those sort of things.
So we still did some activities with that.
And the benefit was we were able to go to customers relations,
whatever you want to call it, have pick up the pass and there
was no queuing. It was just like, Yep, on you
go, that's it. And the place was dead anyway
because it was February. But it was nice to know that
when we got there we wouldn't have to queue.
And I think that's really important is that we could just
go with the knowledge that if it's anything we want to go on
that she's really interested in, we can go straight on it.
And I think a lot of people are saying now like a moon have come
out, all people have said, Oh yeah, we'll go see customer
relations on the day and see what they can do for you.
But it's like, I'm going to spend the best part of how much
money to get a family in there. And then I'm going to know what
play the roulette wheel and see if you're going to help us out
or whether you're just going to say not today unfortunately,
because we've already got your money in your in.
You just have to queue up like everybody else.
But we will give you 10% off a burger.
So it's a difficult one. And again it comes out whilst
the white papers in the background.
There's a lot of things going on in the press about send
families, and you just think to yourself, who's doing your
marketing? Merlin, yeah.
Why have you decided to do this right now?
Yeah, it's bizarre and I think they're trying to ride,
potentially ride on the wave of all the negative bullshit.
Have you seen some of the comments of parents?
Parents. Well, no.
The the. Tossers.
The arseholes, yeah. The tossers, yeah.
Have you seen some of those comments?
I've seen some of those comments, yeah.
So this is, I want to give him a shout out.
Yeah. Brad, legit Brad.
He's he's got an autistic lad, he's got the the Bubble talk
book. Yeah, we did discuss getting you
on at some point, mate. We we need to do it.
But there was it was brilliant. He answered it so well.
It was fucking, it was just bang on.
Somebody said there and you know when someone says I'm not being
funny, but but you've never been funny.
I'm not, I'm not racist, but. Yeah, I'm not racist.
Yeah, she said. Guys, just, I'm just wondering
for, like, the parents of, you know, autistic kids, just like,
what did you do before the Merlin pass?
Yeah, so. And he just went, yeah, before
the Merlin pass. We all just stayed in our ages
with our kids getting strapped because there was nowhere to go.
There was nothing to do. And it was brilliant because he
just kind of said that's what we did.
Is that what you wanted to go back to?
Because what they weren't doing was standing in queues in Merlin
because they couldn't do it. This isn't like I can cope, but
it'd be nice if I could just. Yeah, they can't cope.
It's not, it's not a neurodive first families using it as a
flex. No, but.
What did you do before the pass? We didn't go yeah, because we
couldn't. And then Merlin will talk about
inclusivity and another kind of side project that they're doing
probably. Haven't they kind of started to
backtrack it a little bit and say.
It was just a fucking hope so and.
Say that they were just testing. No, we're just testing the
waters. Testing the waters.
We didn't mean it. To test the waters could have
told you how that was going. To go April Fools, February
Fools. Well, it's, it's been massive
negative press, isn't it? And I think a lot of just same
families over the last 12 months, just they're just sick
and tired of it, of being quiet and just putting up with shit.
So they're just like, well, if you're going to act like a cunt.
Episode 28. Then you'll be treated like 1
and I think that's what people are are doing really.
It's getting a bit like when you like white paper, all that, like
policy reform, it is difficult to, you know, to reform a whole
system like that. Totally get it.
There's like, there's no fucking excuse for nailing.
There's no excuse for this. It's just, it's just cruel.
Like wankers. There's absolute wankers.
Yeah, there's. What is the benefit?
Yeah, What is the benefit? The queue is already
established. It's there.
It's been working for many, many years.
You've probably had someone coming, going, oh, let's look at
the numbers. We can change it here and we can
maximise profits by doing this way.
They don't look disabled. Yeah.
Why are they in the queue? They don't look disabled.
Well, you know what? When your chicken nugget sales
go down, yeah, exactly. You'll feel it.
Exactly. You'll feel it.
And then you'll come back and we'll have to think about.
It it's mental. So so that's been all over the
shop. So, but what we also did talk
about was some some stories. Yes.
Some stories and coincidentally you've got them all there as
well, haven't you mate? So I think if we just kind of
chip through them and I think we're probably going to find
some kind of consistent stories as we go through.
This themes coming up. Themes.
Exactly. So but then coincidentally, I
had a a WhatsApp message come through this morning with
somebody asking for help, right. And I thought this is really
interesting, so I'll read this out.
She asked for help, said yeah, where you at?
Have you actually done anything? Obviously I don't want to give
her advice if she's if she's already started doing stuff.
Thank you. I've done nothing but cry since
Friday so I appreciate your help.
So it hasn't been finalised until Friday.
I requested it to be changed. This is an EHCP which they've
denied me. I've got to wait until it's sent
out Friday to actually call and then get an earlier review
meeting, gather as much evidence as I can before going back to
the panel so that they can make a decision.
Does that sound right? Surely a document that was not
finalised could be amended before being finalised?
I'm struggling with it as I've never done any of this before.
Yeah, there's always a first time, and this is it.
Unfortunately, my son, my son's needs are so complex, right?
The son's needs, they're trying to put him in a mainstream
school. Right.
Autism global developmental delay. 2 years old mind he's 5.
We've already kept him back a year.
He has meltdowns due to poor communication.
He's non verbal. He has no danger awareness and
would elope He's spoon fed baby food and bottles because all he
will have. Sorry guys I'm got my glasses
on. He won't have any food.
It's a choking hazard. He's never chewed food.
He's got sensory via the mouth. Puts objects in the shouldn't
which also puts him at risk. Also in nappies.
Has no awareness of toilet training.
If that kid if that kid should be in a mainstream school, I'll
eat my own head. That's ridiculous that that's
not Thomas. I just, you know, I'd even work
for a local authority, but reading that, I'd be going,
goodness me, that's, that sounds extremely difficult.
We need to find the right provision for this kid.
I wouldn't think I know what it'll suit him.
We'll stick him in a mainstream school.
Mental it's not. At five years old.
Mental. And this is the thing.
So I read that. I mean you.
I've got nothing to say because what can you say to that?
It's utter bullshit, utter bollocks.
That's not a send betweener. No, that's not.
That's not. A send betweener.
That's send. Yeah, that's profound send.
Yeah, that's specialist school all the way.
And again we say, we say it like not a hard point about it.
As a teacher in that class, how are you prepared and trained to
cope with this? Yeah, I was talking to a mission
about it, and I rather that a mission went why would parents,
why would teachers even want to carry on?
Working. And you know what?
Like 456 year olds, like someone joins a class, they all want to
talk to them and and engage with them and you've got this kid
that can't do that and then you've got to try and explain it
to all the other children. Crazy.
Absolutely nuts. So man.
So obviously this is the first, this is the first kind of EHCP
draft, which she's obviously going to challenge.
I'm told her how to do that. Goodness me, she's not.
We've not mentioned the local authority on this one.
Well. So.
Because she's going through it, maybe it's wise to keep it.
Yeah, exactly. And we did, obviously.
We said if you want to tell us the local authority, we'll name
and shame them. Some of you have given us the
local authority, some of you haven't.
But doesn't really matter. I think, you know, we'll just
get an idea across the board of how much this system is failing
people. I.
Don't think it's going to matter where you are in a country.
There's going to be stories like this, isn't it?
Even in some of the best places. So like I think we kind of say
that Shropshire has quite a good reputation.
I still know these shit stories from.
Shropshire Oh goodness, we hear it all the time that we hear it
all the time. But that's that's crazy.
But let's I'll, I'll read the next one then.
And I've not read all of these so they may come as a bit of a a
shock to me whilst I'm reading them.
So Leo aged 8 and we can name it the local Devon County Council
Big up Devon big. So Leo is 8 years old, has
complex special education needs and EHCP was issued for him in
October. Months later, he still has no
education. After the HCP was finalised,
Down County Council repeatedly assured the family that
alternative provisions were being arranged.
A setting was prepared. Staff were identified.
The plan was explained directly to Leo so he could understand
what was coming and feel safe. He was told where he would go
and who would be there. Then, without warning or
explanation, the provision was withdrawn.
There was no written reason, no replacement plan and no
timeline. Leo now keeps asking when he can
go to school. He wants to go.
Each time he's prepared and they let him down, his distress
increases. Social workers involved with the
family have raised safeguarding concerns about the impact this
delays having on his mental health and well-being.
Despite A lawful EHCP being in place, Leo remains at home
without an education. Pick up Devin do.
You know, you just all right, I don't know the the full
incident. Obviously we've got this here.
I don't know. The full And to be fair, I've
had to. I've had to.
Condense it down. Yeah, absolutely.
Because I've seen some of the emails.
Because they were big. There's a lot of lengthy emails
that have come through, but this is, this is another thing, isn't
it? You know, it's all very well
putting something into into place and we know sometimes
things change or or anything, you know, plans do change.
But you would think there would be a duty of care from that
local authority to explain fully why this has happened and ensure
that this younger Leo is top of the list to get something
arranged as soon as possible. And he wants to go to school.
Yeah. That's what I said to Nick
Ferrari the other day on LBC. It's like the parents are trying
to get the kids to go. The kids want to go.
This isn't like skiving kids, no.
And parents that just don't see it, like for the most part, the
parents want to go and the kids want to go.
And here they've said to Leo, yeah, yeah, you sort it, you're
going to. Go and these are the people that
you're going to meet. Yeah, exactly.
This is the and this is just ridiculous.
It's, it's bonkers. I mean, we'll keep seeing it as
we go through, but a lot of this is, and This is why I think EHCP
is going to stop changing because the issue they've got is
EHCPS are saying this child needs XYZ, but then the local
authority can't provide XYZ. So there's a mismatch.
Which Which is then where we go down the legal route?
Exactly. And and legally, if the EHC pet
thinks Section 19, if it's that's the right to education,
if if you say my child needs to be in a specialist setting, go
find one. Yeah, it's not.
Go find one. It's not on me.
You need to. It's your duty to find one.
But if there isn't one there, This is why we need more
specialist goals. And This is why, as you say, if
they remove the EHCP and the legal safeguarding, then it's
just like, but you can't take the local authority anywhere.
We've done our our best. Unfortunately, that's the
procedure. Yeah, as long as we follow the
procedure, you can't take us to any tribunal.
And this is any of annoying thing because you you get a lot
of silly headlines in the press or you'll see them on social
media about parents just taking their kids out of education.
Like it's they're deliberately doing it to make a point.
And that just feeds into stuff like the fucking idiots that you
get who go like, Oh yeah, you just want a label or you're just
like milk in the system or then Merlin come out with these sort
of policies. We love our kids with all our
hearts. On what fucking planet do we
want to spend seven days a week with them?
Because no one else can have them seven days a week with
them. So we're going to home educate
for five days because we just want to have them at home
because, you know, yeah. Just for the crack.
Like you don't get any money for it, so.
Oh, do you? Do you get any money for home
Home educating? I don't think you do.
Yeah, I don't think so. I think the most you get is
maybe Carrie's allowance, but you get that anyway.
Yeah, but that's £89 a week. Boom. 3.
Pounds an hour? Yeah, it's something ridiculous.
Absolutely. Nuts.
So there are absolutely loads of these.
I mean I'll keep going and we maybe skip skip through some
others so haven't got a name here.
Non verbal twin girl aged 5. We haven't got the local
authority. 5 year old girl, non verbal.
Severe learning disability. She's still in nappies and has
significant safety needs. Despite this, she was placed in
mainstream school alongside her neurotypical twin brother from
the H set. Serious risks emerge.
Shock. She wandered from class, her
nappies were not changed, she was found eating stones outside
and family repeatedly raised concerns.
An urgent EHCP review was requested at a meeting with a
senior cent staff this local. The council acknowledged that
the EHCP contained serious errors.
Well, at least they admitted it. Incorrect needs, incorrect
developmental age and missing sections.
The family were explicitly told these would be amended.
Days later, e-mail arrived stating that no amendments would
be made. OK.
At a subsequent meeting, the SN officer denied promising changes
when the grandmother stated the previous meetings had been
recorded. The officer claimed recording
was unlawful, misquoted the SN Code of Practise, and then
reversed position agreeing to amend the EHCP and reconsider
specialist provision. Nothing about the child has
changed, only the family's ability to prove that it had
been said so The only reason that child got what they needed
was because they recorded. The conversation the.
Conversation without their knowledge?
That's disgusting. Do you know what if if you're
having conversations with send officers or local authorities,
get your phone, There's a dictaphone in it, Just press
record. Yeah, don't tell them.
Don't tell them. Just have it.
And then you can take the transcript from that recording.
And you can just, yeah, send them the transcript and say,
well, you said all this, but, you know, there's so many things
wrong with this. The first part is this is a girl
that sounds like Lydia. The learning disabilities,
nappies, safety issues, putting things, eating things that she's
not supposed to or placing, you know, things that aren't food in
their mouth. Just having this take place.
I I don't know what I'm most upset about.
For me it might be the nappies not being changed.
I think that's just undignified. Yeah, it's.
OK, Do you know what I mean? We go on about like care homes
for the elderly and if they've soiled themselves and they
haven't been changed and people go absolutely nuts when they
find that out and go, how dare you treat the elderly like that?
This is a child in exactly the same position.
And it's being left. And again, is it on the school?
I don't know. It's on the local authority
definitely to, to ensure there's somebody there to, to look after
that. And then the second part is just
absolute bullshit, isn't it? Just offering the help and
saying we'll get things rectified.
I mean, for God's sake, I can have an EACP with missing
sections in it, incorrect developmental age in it, and
then deny it and say you're not going to make any amendments.
I mean, as as bad as it is, all those mistakes that they
admitted making, you could go, OK, all right, You're fucked up
really bad. Yeah.
Thanks for thanks for admitting it.
Thanks for rectifying it. Make it right.
Lying under the sand, let's move forward.
But then to go, no, I never said it.
I never said that actually fucking recorded it.
Bell end. I love that.
I love that they recorded that. To the extent that families have
to go to to get their kids an education.
Crazy. It's not.
And this is that trust thing. You know when you said it early
on in the journey, you just trust that.
Everyone you trust, everyone's got the best interest in, no.
You just can't. Do you know if you don't want to
do the fucking job? You've got to record
conversations. But if you work, this is the
other thing though, I know they get a lot of shit and there's a
lot of pressure on on those people that work for local
authorities and everything else like that.
And they're do you know what? There's probably 8090% of people
out there who you're trying their absolute best to get
things done. If you're in that 10%, you're
just doing it because it's a job.
Fuck off. Yeah, fuck off.
You'd be better off without you just it's more efficient.
You know, go get a different job.
This isn't the job for you if you're going to be that person
that is going to stand in a way, deny things and just see kids as
a number or statistic. I mean, ultimately what's
happened there is someone's fucked up, and by admitting
they'd fucked up, they're worried about getting in the
shit. Good.
Yeah, that's what they've done, haven't they?
Oh, when and when they said actually we've recorded it.
Oh God, I'd love to have seen their face.
I. Would have loved it as well.
I would have said I've sent you a copy and I've sent one to the
local newspaper as well. Amazing.
Let's see who opens it first. I'm glad we're doing this.
This is great timing.
Yeah, right. And.
I hope there's some people in the in the government listening
to this as well and maybe it's too late.
You know who we know? We know, we know, but.
On a serious note, sometimes the people in power, they're
ignorant, and I don't mean that in a shitty way.
They shouldn't be ignorant because the place, the position
they're in. But if people are ignorant of
the stories that people have, you need to, you need to
actually ask. You need to get around.
It's a difficult one as well. Is it like you have you have
people around you and everything else like that?
But if you're the people that have access to you, if they're
only given a certain narrative or a watered down version of
what's going out there, then you will kind of take that as
gospel. But if you've got like parents
just constantly saying this is happening, this is happening,
then hopefully it it it does, it does get through.
But let's look at the next one, a slightly older kid.
Yeah. Another thing I want to say, and
I keep saying this to everybody I talk to, I think it's really
important and it's so difficult. I get it, guys.
It's so difficult because it's an emotionally charged subject.
When you're sharing these stories with people that are
decision makers, try your hardest to remove the emotion
out of it. Try to try to get the emotion
out. Just be.
Facts. Factual to the point, because
once emotion gets mixed in there, it makes it very
difficult for you and for them if you can just basically write
these letters like you're the solicitor.
Yeah, I'm trying to think back to our letters.
I think my letters, I wrote reversion to our local authority
and I had to reread it a couple of times because it was quite
emotional and I was and I was pissed off and I took some time
out and I realised I need to get this personal side.
So it's very much opening it with, I appreciate the hard work
that you're doing for me and my daughter.
I really do appreciate you working with us as a family.
That sort of language there. And it worked.
Maybe because they do get hundreds of emails which are
like, you're a bit of a twat. Yeah, I don't like you.
Like it a lot when you get a shit load of emails and a shit
load of letters, Yeah, if you're getting abuse in some letters
and you're getting people doing what you did, yeah, which you're
right A. Little bit of like.
Thanks. A little bit of bullshit, yeah,
but you're going to respond better to those.
People, yeah. And again, it goes back to not
all people working the like I say the vast majority are trying
to do a job because you wouldn't go into that in the 1st place
and you know, I probably wouldn't want to do a job where
I'm constantly bombarded with stuff.
So yeah, anyway. Right, I love this boy, age 14,
Birmingham City Council Hello Brom.
Right. This young person struggled
throughout mainstream primary education after the tribunal and
I noticed on all the odd videos I was saying tribunal.
Tribunal. Irritates the shit out of me
now. An independent specialist school
was secured. The placement was chaotic.
Attendance deteriorated. The head teacher raised concerns
about mental health. A satellite provision was opened
for 8 pupils. He moved there in year 8, in
year 9. Even then, attendance reduced to
1 morning a week in the final year.
Final term of Year 9, he told his parents he would rather be
dead than attend school. This is like that thing you.
Were talking about. Yeah, with professional
agreement he was. He was not deregistered.
An annual review concluded, and no school could meet his needs.
Educational psychologists, teachers and therapists all
recommended education otherwise than at school.
That evidence was submitted to Birmingham City Council in July.
Seven months later, the EHCP remains in draft.
How the council The council continues to consult unsuitable
schools, including a mainstream primary.
Is that right? Yeah, I'll finish.
Despite the child being 14 and traumatised during that time he
has received no education, no therapies.
His family, living on a single nursing salary, are paying
privately to try and stabilise his mental health while the
process drags on. Now, I don't want to be a bit of
a cynic here, but seven months later, the EHCP remains in
draft. Is it in draft?
Because they're going to edit the EHCP based on what they
managed to secure. Do you know what I mean?
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Because EHCP remains in draft
but the council continues to consult unsuitable schools.
Why would you consult unsuitable skill schools if you don't have
the guidance of an EHCPII would come to the same conclusion that
you've just come to is that they're going fuck.
We just need to find somewhere. When we find somewhere, we'll
just fill in the blanks on the ECP to justify why we put in.
There you would just have the ECP done and then that's what
you're using to to to base the educational.
Needs and the child's already year 9, which means.
He's already 14. Yeah, they've got two years left
before they leave senior school, or should be leaving senior
school with their peers. And then, then my other part of
my head goes, we'll just run the clock down.
Yeah, because it'll save money. Yeah.
So yes, seven months later, the HTP remains in draft.
We've got something, but it's going to be the start of year
10, yeah. Summer old it is.
Yeah, yeah, we've saved ourselves XY and Z by doing
this, Yeah. And we know what Birmingham City
Council are up to at the. Moment you're 11, is he going to
do GCSE? I don't know, but Birmingham
City Council is one of the counters that's absolutely
screwed because their their their funding and budgets were
mismanaged. Birming this.
Yeah, I believe so. Fantastic.
So I'm fairly certain there's going to be more cases like that
out there what we got here now. Spencer.
Preschool local authority withheld.
Spencer is a preschool child with clear autistic traits and
significant vulnerabilities. He has echolalia, developmental
delay, feeding difficulties, and is a flight risk.
His draft EACP uses vague wording such as access to
support bollocks and opportunities for regulation.
Specialist provision was dismissed as unavailable before
meaningful consultation took place.
Specialist provision was dismissed as unavailable before
even having a fucking conversation about it.
Instead, mainstream schools were proposed barely based purely on
distance. We don't want to spend any more
money on taxis. Risks are acknowledged in
paperwork but not planned for. In practise.
There is no detail about how Spencer would be kept safe in a
busy mainstream environment. No suitable placement has been
secured. Horseshit.
Access to support opportunities for regulation.
It's so vague if I if I was applying for DLA and put wishy
washy language in that it would just get kicked back straight
away. Yeah, flip the script.
It's absolutely fine. Specialist provision was
dismissed as unavailable. Before they even had a
consultation. So and so.
What's what's the point of having a consultation with the
parents? Then you might just tell us what
you're going to do. Yeah, so essentially they're
saying there aren't any specialist schools here, so that
ain't going to happen. Hey, Davey keeps pushing for
more specialist schools. Yeah, it does.
Got a lot of time for David at the moment saying saying a lot
of good stuff. Carries on like that, it might
be getting my votes, I know. Again, draughty HCPS.
Yeah, just just keep everything in draft.
This is the other thing that pisses me off as well, is like
there is a time frame that it's all supposed to be started
completed within but nobody gives a shit.
No. So again, so that's the whole,
you know, are we going to have a legal right to is it, is there
going to be legal framework around this?
Well, we don't want now, but no one tells you we can't now, so.
What they should do is it's America, isn't it, where there's
an independent body that sits between the education
authorities or the local authority, You know, they're
equivalent with local authorities and the parents.
And it's like, well, once it's agreed, if you don't follow it
and the local authorities fined and it's passed on to the
parents, isn't it? Yeah, it's.
Man, there'd be a lot of parents getting some money if that was
the case. Oh my God, can you?
Well, I think that's part of the reason they want to, because
it's kind of equivalent to tribunals, isn't it?
Is is the parents are winning too many tribunals?
There's too many HCPS and parents are winning too many.
Obviously, that's not my opinion.
That's their opinion. And they're winning nearly all
of the tribunals. Payouts.
Exactly which is costing them a fortune.
Oh yeah, Otis. Do your job.
Exactly, Otis age 5. Bournemouth, Christchurch and
Poole council. Otis is autistic with suspected
ADHD. His EHCP names specialist
provision. No specialist places are
available. Otis remains in preschool
despite being beyond compulsory school age tribunal proceedings
are under way but no school is confirmed it can meet his needs.
The only reason Otis has any education at all is because his
preschool has agreed to keep him temporarily.
This is not sustainable. As September approaches, his
family faces the possibility that he will miss an entire year
of education. Yeah, props to not preschool.
We had we had it with Thomas. They were fantastic.
They worked with us. They spent a bit of time with
Thomas and went, yeah, this kid ain't going to mainstream.
But they were, they were amazing.
They they worked with us to obviously use all of that as as
evidence. And it seems that's kind of what
these guys are doing here, which is fair play to him.
But like I said, it's not sustainable.
They can't stay there. Yeah, there comes a point where
you just like there's an issue with specialist places.
Yeah. And I know like it's very, very
simplistic terms for all of us to go just build more schools.
Yeah, all right. It's very simplistic terms.
But there must come a point where you look at the figures
and go, actually it might cost us more to build the schools,
but it would have paid for itself.
Very quickly. Very, very quickly.
And then we've still got these stupid projects that no one
gives a shit about, which is, you know, there's so much money
for that, that stupid train, God.
God there. What's it called?
God, they spent. Absolutely.
Billions. Sane billions you're.
Like, way more billions than. That we thought it's going to
cost this. It's like, no, it's three times
or whatever it is. And no one wants it.
No one cares. No one cares, no one gives you
shit because there's already a train line from Manchester to
London. Yeah, we go to London Enough.
Yeah, it's fine. It's it's no different at all.
But we can shave 20 minutes off it.
Yeah, but it's taken you 20 years to even.
Yeah. And it's cost billions upon
billions. Crazy.
Almost makes you wonder if there's some little dodgy
backhand. I'm fairly certain none of that
takes place, so absolutely not. Does anybody any specialist
equipment during the next COVID outbreak?
Yeah, Yeah, let me know. I know a guy down a pub who's
going to start a business. Exactly.
So yeah, and that's whatever takes the shit out of me is we
seem to find money for one thing and not.
Fair. It goes back to, yeah, disabled
children just being a bad return on investment.
And I don't give a shit what any politician says.
It's clearly the evidence speaks louder than what comes out of
their mouth. Yeah, yeah.
The policies they're bringing out just says you guys aren't
going to pay into the system. You're just a drain on it.
We need to like curb that that drainage of money so we can
spend it on something else which no one gives a shit about.
And what's really sad is actually if you put a lot of
these kids in the right provision, you don't need to
write them off. No, we've we've seen the success
stories. Thomas's school, Yes.
It's a specialist school. Yes.
When you walk around, you go. When you first time, you walk
around and you're like, whoa, why is my kid going to this
school? Yes, you do think that you get
over that very quickly. But then when you walk around,
you see those kids there doing their GCS, ES and then they go
on to college. So you don't need to write these
kids off just because they've got special educational needs.
No, we don't know what they're capable of, but guarantee
they're capable of a lot more than you fucking think.
Yeah. If you write them off at this
age, Jesus, give them. At least give them a chance.
I've been guilty of it. You've been guilty.
You've done it with their own kids.
Very quickly start going OK, I'm going to stop doing that now
because this gets surprising. Me, yeah, just give them a leg
up. Yeah, stop.
Just just already saying they're going to be a drain.
Yeah, but I, I, and we talk about, you know, white paper and
all that. I, I genuinely, and I especially
have to read in a lot of these stories.
I can't see a way around it apart from more specialist
schools. No, there isn't.
There is. No, we just need more specialist
schools. But we're going to do a lot
more. Yeah, we're just, we're just
going to carry on digging about until we come to that decision,
by which time there's another generation of kids that are
screwed. Exactly.
We're going to start fucking about with.
Oh, wait a minute. We have string schools and we've
got the money for the prisons. Yeah.
Oh, we'll just build more prisons.
Oh, that. That makes complete sense.
Yeah. Why not just target it at the
start? Yeah, rather than at the end.
Yeah, yeah, it's nuts. Yeah, it's crazy.
Way out now. Wigan.
Wigan Council boy aged 11.
So this child experienced years of bullying and school based
trauma. His anxiety escalated to the
point that the school was unsafe when his parents removed him to
protect him. The school reported the family
to social services for neglect. The safeguarding case was closed
with no concerns. Despite this, no alternative
education was arranged. This child was removed from
school roll without parental consent.
Section 19 duties were not applied.
This child has spoken about wanting to end his life.
He is now terrified of other children and of leaving the
house. His parent is fighting EHCP
delays, safeguarding misuse and unlawful school removal
simultaneously. Yeah, like the local authority
were quick to jump on it when they thought it was a
safeguarding issue, but then when they realised there wasn't.
Yeah, maybe. Maybe we're the bad guys.
Oh, maybe no. Maybe we fucked up and that's
it. No support after that.
This is, this is like a bit as soon as you run, right?
That's it. Yeah.
We can't do any more now. It's not our problem.
It's just. And there's so many families
going through this year. This is this is case number six
that we've read. There's already two children
that are spoken about wanting to end their lives.
Yeah, yeah. 33% so far. It's unlike what child thinks
like. The own life that just at that
age to think the only I, I can't cope with this anymore.
I just don't want to be here. Yeah, you just can't even like,
think when you were that age, like everything was amazing,
everything was fun. Like the worst thing you had to
do was go to school, but even then you were with your mates
for six hours. It was meant.
It's, we said this on the last podcast and I said I hope there
aren't politicians that are listening to this because you
are going to get more children that will think about it's
better to not be here anymore because I can't, I'm not getting
the support, the provisions I need.
And there'll be some kids that are in tune that they can see
how stressed out their parents are and it may even go through
the headset. The only way I can make mum and
Dad feel better not to be here. 100%.
And then 100% they'll do something horrible and I hope it
never happens and then you'll have the knock on effect for
that family for the siblings as well.
And those a guarantee if that ever happens, those parents will
blame themselves and say I wish I would fought harder, I could
have done more and it's not on them.
No, of course it's not. And then you get people that can
just sign up on a Friday at 5:00 PM, go home, it's not my
problem. I know it's my and that's the
thing, isn't it? So like, what's crazy?
Like what I do for work? I, I work, I work Mondays to
Friday, but because I work on accounts that are selling goods
every day of the week. So although I don't have to work
seven days a week, I'm there. I'm kind of this shit is way
more important than what I do. There should be someone seven
days a week, seven days a week, 24 hours a day, like there
should be someone there. I understand that's a pipe
dream. I understand how expensive that
would be, but that is what it should be like.
No, the the again, it would just be signposted to a charity,
Yeah. Exactly.
I know we've, we've done our bit.
We've we've signposted you to this charity that can that can
help you. Yeah, great.
And the other thing you said about food banks being normal of
a sudden? It's just no a food bank in the
in the different guise, isn't it?
Food banks used to be like, Oh my God, a food bank.
Now they're like, hey, it's my food bank and they're like open
a new food bank. Do you remember growing up in
the 80s, like when it was the Soviet Union and they're just
like, this is Romania and the, or this is Moscow and there'd
just be people queuing up to get bread.
Yeah, stuff like that. We and I remember in the 80s
looking like going, Oh my God, there's poor people.
Can you imagine living in a society where you have to queue
up with with stamps or something to get your food or we've?
Sleepwalked our way into that. And, and now we accept it as
being normal. And then we, we have politicians
there for photo opportunities, this community food bank.
Amazing. Well done.
Yeah, it's just like, and then they'll piss off in their car.
And I've said it before, if you're one of these politicians
that is is wants to have a go at these kind of kids and put this
reform in and chat shit about taxis and how much everything is
costing. When it comes to children, we're
talking to you. When it comes to children in
need, don't don't turn up for the photo shoot.
Yeah, I don't bother. Don't bother.
Just don't bother. Just fuck off.
Yeah, don't bother. Just fuck off.
Right #7 is this the wrong one? Number seven, yeah.
On roll. Child has been out of school for
months. Council states he's no council.
State has no duty to provide education because the school
remains technically on the school roll.
The child remains, technically. On the technically on the school
roll, no alternative provision has been arranged.
The child has been left to provide full time care.
The parent has been left to provide full time care and
education with a support that that is like a really basic,
there's like, there's not a lot of detail there.
Right. But it speaks volumes.
Speaks absolute volumes. You're technically.
That that just, that is so common.
You know there's loads of these where it's just.
It's just a loophole, isn't it? Exactly.
It's just a loophole. Well, you're technically you're
still on the school roll, so we don't need to provide you any of
a provision. Yeah, but but the parents are
like, well, what am I supposed to do then?
It's like, but no, but I've just told you, I reckon that the
child's still on the school. Roll.
I reckon that's probably the most common, yeah.
Common issue. So they're still on the school
roll, but because they're on the school roll, they're like, well,
if he doesn't want. To come in.
Yeah, he can. They can come.
In we want him to come in. I mean, we don't because ADHD is
really hard to fucking deal with, but you know, where are
you if you want to send them in? You don't have to home educate
them if you don't want to. If you want to drag them in
until they say I don't want to be here anymore.
That's going to be the most common issue and and probably
it's like, what the fuck are we doing?
It's just a shitty loophole isn't it?
Wank right? Early years child with safety
risks. Local authority has been
withheld. A young child with developmental
delay and serious safety risks was pushed towards mainstream
education. The EHCP failed to specify how
risks would be managed. Specialist settings were not
meaningfully consulted. Planning continued despite known
dangers. OK, it's just again, imagine
being the pair and just just not being listened to again and
again. Yeah, I just like going insane.
I mean, I know how annoyed I get when I ring EE about my phone or
my broadband company because my Internet ain't working.
I go when they just give you bullshit back.
Imagine what it's like for these parents.
Yeah, like it's their children. And you're just constantly not
being listened to. And we get this quite a lot is
parents aren't being listened to or you're just being a bit
neurotic. You're just being a bit over the
top. Yeah.
Everything. You just.
No, I know my child. You're just not listening to me,
are you? And you?
Wonder what the conversations are when you put the phone down?
Talk me down. Oh, God, that sounded a bit
stressful. Who you just talk to?
Oh, this mum, she thinks this this, this isn't this.
Like fuck no. Oh 100% it'll be like, oh Andy's
on the phone again. Oh God, is it him?
Bloody hell. Handsome bastard the fucking
Andy's. In Oh yeah, well, maybe I should
do Zoom calls. But again, it's it's #9 team,
team, team with severe anxiety. Local authority withheld this.
Teenager's attendance reduced gradually due to anxiety.
No alternative provision was offered.
And as mental health deteriorated, the parent
withdrew the trial to prevent serious harm.
The EHCP was never amended to reflect trauma or reduced
capacity. Again, this is a theme that the
parents aren't being listened to.
So they take action to protect their child.
And because they've taken that action in the child's best
interest, as a parent would fucking do, they're like, no,
because you did that. Yeah, there's nothing we can do.
Yeah. You know what you should have
done? Yeah.
Is wait for something serious to happen.
Yeah, exactly. Which would have caused more
trauma. And then we may have stepped in
and done nothing. And essentially you've you've
done the job for them there. Yeah, I understand.
I'd have done the same. I'd have done exactly the same.
But the local authority are going cool.
It's one less to worry about. Yeah.
So you're. Going to have like a bell in the
local authority that just ring every time they get one off and
they like high 5 each other, yeah.
Charged with final EHCP but no placement.
EHCP was finalised but no placement was followed.
Therapies listed in the plan were not delivered.
Months passed without education. Parent repeatedly chased the
SEND team. Nothing changed.
This is like really common as well.
It's just chase, chase, chase, chase, chase, chase, but it's
and this this is where if you do need help, like it's our discord
group is really. Is really really good.
Some great parents and other advice.
But tactics, so when you're not being listened to, it's like,
OK, you've, you've taken it here, now you take it to this
level and this is the e-mail in your local authority and this is
what you say. So this is these are those when
you feel like you're just up against a brick wall.
I think this is where speaking to people in our community and
the experience that they've had in the past and what's worked
for them is is really valuable. It's, it's, it's one of those
again, it's just sometimes you go, what's the point of an EACP?
You put stuff in there, you completed that aspect of your
due diligence or what you're supposed to do as an authority,
local authority and then you just don't follow it through.
And I can see then so that can then be used as a bit of a baton
or whatever the case may be by by politicians going, well, This
is why we need to change it because that and they justify it
because of this and then they introduce something which
doesn't help anyway. Yeah.
Right. Child repeatedly forced into
mainstream local authority withheld.
Despite professional objections and repeated breakdowns, this
child continues to be placed in mainstream.
Each placement fails. Each time the council proposes
the same solution again, like. And this is a parent that hasn't
taken a kid out. Yeah, this is they've gone.
No, I want to follow. Like and they're like, cool,
let's try this. We tried that last time.
It didn't work, but let's try it again, OK.
And that's just what they keep doing.
And again, you make you wonder if you're cynic, you wonder if
they're like, we'll just keep pushing them.
And hopefully they'll, yeah, hopefully they'll pull them.
Yeah, we'll run out of schools. Yeah, childish Speech and
language needs. Speech and language therapy is
specified in the EHPEHCP. It's never been delivered.
Council claims that offering access meets it's duty.
See, that's that fucking the HCP language, isn't it?
The child has received no therapy.
Yeah, it's like, and again, it's that trust thing, isn't it?
You probably, if you read an HCP and you've never been butt hurt
by one, you probably read it and go access to this great an
opportunity for this amazing. It's like Nah Nah Nah.
Legal document like that means that as long as they have access
to it and the opportunity to do it and their ass is covered.
Which is kind of what we're fearing about the procedure.
The leaks that were there is like, no, we've we can prove
that we follow procedure as long as we do that and provide
access, yeah. What does that even mean?
You've got the opportunity to do it.
Yeah. It's some access to it.
Yeah. It's not our fault it doesn't
work. We'd need to.
No, yeah, we just signposted you.
It's your access. It's your access make you make
it happen. And it's not coincidence that
that language keeps coming up. No, you know somebody is going
say this. Say that, see if it gets picked
up. Oh, it got through great.
That's one that we don't have to help.
Exactly. Child with autism and ADHD Local
authority withheld after mainstream placement collapse.
The EHCP remained in draft indefinitely.
No interim support was offered. Now the parent pays privately
for therapy while waiting like. What that that that 55 grand
remortgaging? That one parent. 100 grand came
up the other day. Yeah, somebody cost them 100
grand just to get the EACP followed or the the education
for their child cost them 100 grand.
How is there no reimbursement when that happens?
I don't give a shit today how? Was there no reimbursement?
They could have waited six years and they would have got it, but
they didn't want to wait six years.
It's just this disgusting. And there'd be like solicitors,
barristers just going right. Yeah, there's a whole industry
behind this. Now, we can we do this week in,
week out. But if you've got the money, Can
you imagine just having to sink that amount of money into it and
then the families that don't have that available cash?
I can do it. Yeah.
OK. If that happened, I'd be
screwed. I can go, you know, I'll just
find I'm. Going to hash the remote.
It's it's 30 grand. Let's sink it in there, jeez.
Yeah, it's disgusting. Single parent with multiple
disabled children. One child has been withheld.
It's been without education. Sorry, guys, I ain't got my
glasses on. Education for an extended
period. Parent cannot work due to caring
demands. Yeah, we know what that's like.
Financial and emotional strain is severe.
Professionals have raised safeguarding concerns about the
impact on the family so the local authority aren't
supporting you enough and as a result they're going to raise
safeguarding concerns because they're not giving you the
support you need. It's.
It's just doubly being it's like getting slapped on one cheek and
then say like, give us the other cheek.
Want to slap that as well? Yeah.
Absolutely piss take. And you know, we had that
horrible story about the family in Australia who took the lives
of their children and took their own lives because there was just
no way out. And AI mean and.
You imagine you're at breaking point like this.
It's an assumption I'm making but did you see the the
helicopter shots of the property?
They had money. They had a nice house and pool
outside. Like some things aren't
financial. No, I don't know the insurance
and outs of of their lives, but they look like a well to do nice
happy family. How can it happen to anybody if
it's gonna happen to them, it can activate it happen to
anybody and it's it's going to happen again.
It's. Going to happen.
It's. Going to happen again.
Don't know where, but it's going to happen again.
It's going to happen and you know what'll happen?
It'll just be thoughts and prayers, and then we'll just not
change anything. Thoughts.
And prayers and changing. Profiles, put some candles
outside and then we'll try and find a way of demonising the
parents for doing it. Yeah yeah.
Absolutely disgusting child with school based trauma.
Local authority withheld. Attempts at reintegration
repeatedly failed. No alternative education was
offered. The child's mental health
deteriorated rapidly. The parents withdrew the child
to prevent harm again. This is a theme, isn't it?
Just taking a child out to stop harm coming to them as the only
option. So sacrificing education again,
even though education is a right for every child.
Some of these local authorities, I wish they weren't withheld.
Withheld, I know, yeah, not everybody wanted to, wanted to
give them. Which I totally understand if
you if you're going through a case 100% you want, Yeah, but
you know, we should have a shit list of local authorities.
I mean, where are we at now? What number we?
Got 17. 17 We'll skip through these pretty quick, but so
costly so child and unused specialist placement The costly
specialist placement remains funded but unused due to trauma.
Council refused, refuses cheaper EOTAS provision.
The child remains on roll but receives no education.
Child's on roll. Child remains on roll.
Yeah, no education. It's like and the other thing
with, you know, with funding getting moved around, I don't
know, I've talked about it last week, but that that parent that
had their child's one to one funding removed have given to
another child that didn't have any, didn't even have an EHCP,
doesn't work like that. I mean you.
Just can't get your head around it.
It's just like they just passed. And this is the problem with the
system. This is partly why it needs
reform. But.
Do you have a centralised agency that does it all with competent
individuals? Where'd you find them?
Yeah, good point. Yeah.
Child with physical and sensory needs.
Local authority withheld. Major replacement was clearly
unsuitable. Risks were documented.
Specialist consultation was delayed.
The child was informally excluded without alternative
provision. You know, we've we've done a lot
of talk about informal exclusions.
Yeah. You did a video.
On that, weren't you? Yeah, absolutely.
There's a if you are facing that we have a real which is about
60. It's a 62nd.
No bullshit guide to what happened, what informal
exclusion is, and what you can do.
Yeah. But yeah, it's a common tactic.
Yeah, and it is a thing if you just, if you feel like your
child is being excluded from school.
Yeah, it is a thing. It's called informal exclusion.
Yeah, we've had it where kids are in mainstream school and
what's it called when they come round to doing an appraisal of
the school? What's that called again?
You mean like an Ofsted inspection?
Ofsted. That's it.
When Ofsted come round, it's amazing how many neurodiverse
kids are asked not to attend that day one.
Particular is not come in school today.
Yeah, we've got Ofsted and we don't want to.
Don't be chasing children around.
The school. Because the head teacher wants
to get a good report so we can move on to a bigger and better
school. Child awaiting EHCP decision.
Local authority withheld the child has been out of education
during the the entire EHCP assessment.
Section 19 duties were not applied.
Statutory deadlines were missed repeatedly.
That's common. That's common deadlines,
operational failure, early arrival not communicated Again,
local authority withheld. A school agreed a child could
arrive early to avoid crowds. This was confirmed with SEND
staff. Oh, this one pissed me off.
On the first day, the class teacher not been told, the child
was turned away at the door, distressed and confused.
Attendance collapse. The adjustment existed on paper,
not in practise. Well, that's just.
That's one of the shit. It's one of the first ones that
I because obviously when all the emails are coming in and just
dropping in and you know, just reading a few and that's one of
the first ones I read. Imagine you've got a girl that
really wants to go to school, but she gets anxiety around it.
We, we had one of the dads on earlier, remember, and there was
an issue at the gates every day there was.
Yeah, yeah, it's like that. And and they went inspect to the
head and the head was like, OK, what might help?
It's like, well what? She could go in the class before
everyone else arrives. Whoa, what crazy idea?
Whoa, that makes sense. Fucking hell.
Avoid the crowds. So they were like, yeah, sounds
good. Parents were happy, the kid was
happy. She was like, OK, great.
They told her this is what's going to happen.
But then when she went there the next day, the teacher was like
what are you here early? No, no, you're not coming early.
Meltdown like this is like such a low hanging fruit like these
just real simple little things that you could do to make a
massive difference to these kids lives.
And you know what? It's an easy win, isn't it?
It's a really fucking easy win for the the Senko team.
Whatever. We're going to have more
neurodiverse kids in mainstream. That's going to happen, whatever
the leaks say when the white paper comes out.
We know that's going to happen. We're going to get more neuro
diverse kids. There's going to be more
families going. My kid can't handle crowds.
Yeah. Then you're a diverse.
OK. There's going to be more schools
going, right? Well, we need to get them in
earlier. Yeah.
If you can't have your fucking send team communicate with a
teacher in the same schools like.
Cool. Thank you, Mr Mrs. Smith.
Well, I'll pass that on. Hello.
Yeah, tomorrow morning, such and such is going to come in early.
Can you? 15 minutes early, can you make
sure? Not a problem, thank you.
Done. That's all that had to fucking
happen. Geez, you can't even get that
right. And the impact when you get it
wrong. Huge.
Exactly. It's it's not trust.
Oh, OK. It's the trust bit.
Trust you told me this before the.
The parents have gone and said, hey, listen, we saw the hey,
this is what's going to happen. Really.
Yeah. Yeah, we're going to.
Everyone's agreed to do that. Oh, Mum, Dad, thanks.
That's amazing. Thank you so much.
And she goes there thinking this is great I can finally start
going back to school again without anxiety.
Boom. Now you just think my parents
lied to me. Yeah, just to get me there.
Yeah, next time your parents go, listen, we've sorted it out.
You're going to be like. No, yeah, I'm afforded for that
again. Exactly.
Absolutely bullshit. Next one, operational failure.
Transport not informed. Again.
Local authority withheld adjustments were agreed to
support the child's transport. Transport staff were not
informed. The child arrived late in
distressed. The school refused entry.
The child was sent home. Oh my God.
So we just punished the child. That makes sense.
Adjustments were agreed to support the child's transport.
Cool transport staff weren't informed so the kid ended up
late and then the school wouldn't let them in and the
child was sent home again. It's that same.
Can't communicate. We've got all these down as
operational failures. These aren't difficult things.
These are easy. Well, these just show how the
inability of individuals working in certain schools or
authorities that they cannot communicate effectively between
themselves. Yeah, yeah.
And sometimes they're in the same God damn building and they
still can't communicate, but they bang on at the children.
You must be able to talk and tell us they're really.
Think the most difficult conversations and the difficult
agreements would be between between the schools and and the
parents and the children and the kids.
That would be the difficult. If you get that bit nailed,
fuck, you should be able to get everything else done, but you
can't internally pass messages on.
Oh, we can fix. We can fix this problem really
simply. You know, let's just make it
harder. Yeah, let's make it.
Harder. Let's make it harder.
Should we tell them? No, no, that makes it more fun.
Yeah, let's should. We tell them they're coming in
early. No, let's, let's not bother.
Don't tell the transport team. Should we tell transport no?
When they come, what we'll do, yeah, is we'll send them home
and that'll stress everybody out even more.
Yeah, because then the parent will have to take a day off
work. Yeah.
To stay at home. Knock on effect, it's all those
other things that happen it wow. Wow, wow, wow.
But it's. Just all these operational
failures, they're not. Really easy.
One to one support unfunded Local authority withheld 1 to 1
support was agreed and written into the plan.
Great. Legally binding.
No staff were recruited. Amazing.
The child attended without support, became distressed and
was blamed for behaviour that had already been predicted
absolutely, which is why they needed one to one support.
Absolute wankers blame the. Family blame the child.
Next one, quiet space unavailable.
The quiet space was agreed as part of the Child Support plan.
When the child needed it. The room was locked.
Oh my God. Or in use.
What is this? The child escalated and then
again the child is punished and was removed from class.
Low hanging fruit guys. These are really, really easy
fixes that would make it a massive difference.
If this is mainstream schools and you're going to get extra
funding, now this. Is what the training's going to
be it's going to be like? Training on how to unlock a
door. That's exactly, that's what I
was going to say. It'll be so if a door needs to
be unlocked, you need to make sure.
We need to have a course on who's going to be the key
holder. Who's going to be the key
holder? I don't know.
I know a guy whose father was a tool maker.
He'll be able to help. Oh yes, my father was a tool
maker. Couldn't give a shit, you
dickhead. Oh my God.
Child publicly humiliated A child with an EHCP spent most
days sitting in the back of the classroom with a pile of toys.
This was described as support. It was not education.
We're just turning it into a day crash centre.
We've got to take them, we'll get the funding, we'll get some
toys of Timu and just stick them in the back of the class.
At least we can say they're on the roll and they've turned up.
Easily done if you've got, if you've got, I mean even in a
specialist saying if you've got six kids in a in a class and one
of those kids is quite happy sitting on his iPad, for
example, it's quite easy when you've got these other kids
running around like lunatics to just go.
He'll be OK, he'll be fine. Easy that there is such a big
difference in in the education that Lydia is getting already at
a specialist school compared to this They they don't leave any
of the kids behind. They're, they're pushed at the
right level to try and just take them out of the comfort zone so
they can keep learning and. Moving not to have a meltdown.
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, whereas what we find in
our mainstream schools, they can't cope, is like, just stick
little Johnny in the corner, some toys, and he'll just be
quiet. We can teach the rest of the
class. Is this what this is what?
This is what's coming? This is what the new proposal is
going to be. We'll dress it up.
We'll call it all these fancy names.
How are they going to undo this? I'll tell you what if if this is
what's going to happen. But The thing is with a lot of
this is a lot of this is EHCP stated and it wasn't delivered.
Yeah, OK. Well, with the white paper
coming, if there's no EHCP, yeah, what's the comeback?
That's the point, isn't it? That's kind of the point.
There's no comeback, which is why this CAP question has been
dodged again and again. And why they'll make it so much
harder to get an EHCP. We've talked about the four
tiers that are potentially being put in place before that you've
got to go through and have your child fail repeatedly before
anyone would consider moving them up to the next tier.
Lo and behold, if you're lucky enough to get a gold in the
EHCP. But then when you get one,
clearly you can see now it doesn't mean Jack shit.
No, no. Child with extreme exact
anxiety. Attendance sanctions were
threatened despite unmet needs. Pressure was placed on the
parent rather than the solution offered, rather than solutions
offered, which then result in anxieties escalating.
Yeah. It's like it's just, it's a lot
of the same you, a lot of this. You'd think it was the same
person that had written it. Yeah.
Next, one school environment called stress and refusal.
No adaptations were made. Alternative provisions were
delayed again. This is this is a bit that gets
me and that's going to come up more and more.
No adaptations. Adaptations were made.
Adaptations. Yeah, none of them were made.
Absolutely nothing. No, it's like, no, you sort it.
Out. Yeah, like it will lump it.
But you're getting, you're going to be getting the money for
these kids. Yeah, and that's what really
annoys. Me and they're not going to be
tied to the child that go to the school.
Yeah, we'll take more on. We'll get some more toys and you
know we'll have a special room when it's not unlocked.
Yeah, make sure you wonder how many one to ones are being paid
for and how many one to ones actually exist.
But there's a huge amount. What does it get to?
Does it become like a bit of a bidding wall, like some schools
go up? You know, actually, we'll.
Yeah, we'll take on another three.
Yeah, we'll take another three because that'll mean we get so
much more money. Yeah, We can cope.
Yeah. We'll take.
No, We'll take yeah. We'll have three and.
Then the teachers like we can't we'll.
Employ 2 where we at 27. I mean, I think we've just done
that. 128 therapies listed in the HCP ceased due to funding
delays. The council did not replace
them. The parents had to pay
privately. Fuck what the fuck I like.
Can you be newer? You imagine me newer, the parent
of neurotypical kid and they're going like, oh, we're not going
to have French lessons anymore. And you're like, unless you pay
for them privately. They'll get it, but it's just
going to take a while because it's just delays.
Yeah. So if you want them to get the
thing that they need. You pay privately.
You have to pay privately or wait and we will get it at some
point down the line. We've just got some funding
delays. And if you do want to pay
privately, here's a little leaflet we've got of all the
tutors that will take it on privately.
And you can imagine, like little kickbacks in here.
Yeah, I'll give you 10% of the transition year, child.
No placements secured for the next academic year.
Communication stopped and September approach without a
plan again. It's just like leaving it,
leaving it, leaving it last minute and not coming back to
parents. That communication piece is so
important if you've got a send child because you just live and
breathe every day. School failure.
My daughter's story. Oh God.
Local authority withheld for years.
The family did everything they were asked.
They tried multiple mainstream placements, phase returns and
reduce timetables. Each attempt to cause further
trauma support was promised, delayed, partially delivered and
then withdrawn. Eventually the child had to be
removed from school to protect her well-being.
This was not single failure, single failure.
It was a system failing over time.
The call running theme is, yeah, Ecps increasing reflect needs
that the system already knows it cannot or will not resource.
And and that's something that many parents have said to us,
yes, the EHC PS:. They'll finally give in and say,
yes, this is the support they need.
And then once it's in there, it just won't deliver it.
And This is why you know that that first one I read where the
EHCP didn't reflect need, in my opinion, trying to get him into
a into a mainstream school. Well, that's because ultimately,
historically, they've been issuing EHC.
PS: Knowing full well they haven't got the provision to to
fulfil the EHC. PS: Now it looks like they're
starting to go, we need to pull back a little bit on what were
included in these EHC. PS: Because we haven't got the
provision and that's why they're taking this to tribunal, because
they can only take you to tribunal if the EHCECP wording.
Yeah, exactly. So I thought we've got to pull
back a little bit. You know, I, I'm a, I've become
a cynical bastard over this stuff.
And, and you just go, well, the first delaying tactic that we
can implement is we'll delay even doing the HCP.
That will save us a bit of time. Then we'll go into consultation
with the parents for the HCP. Then we'll delay it then.
And then when it comes to final draft, we'll just have to delay
it. And then when they do get it,
which they find out that we can't deliver any of it and then
we'll just deal with it then. Yeah.
Yes, the plans are definitely being issued into a system with
insufficient provision and the burden of that mismatch is
definitely being pushed onto families.
And yeah. Yeah, no, that's so we've got
like some kind of strong patterns that we've had
throughout all of this. And one of the big ones is like
draft EHC. PS: Leftover for months.
Yeah. Because you don't quite want to
seal it. You don't want to write it in
stone until you've, no, actually, if you're going to be
able to provide the provision, what can, where can we get this
kid, this, this and this? Cool.
Then we'll work backwards and we'll, we'll run the EHCP not
based on what's needed, but what's available.
Yeah, this is and it's based. It should be based on need.
You know, some of the early stories, stories that we read,
there were were kids that are very much like Thomas, like
Lydia. There's no way, absolutely zero
chance they should be in mainstream school that that's
just, you know what that's bordering neglect.
It is, yeah. Because our kids are doing so
much better. They are fulfilling their
potential because they're in a specialist setting.
And I, I've said before, I know parents early on.
I know, I know some that are quite resistant to specialist
schools, especially. I spoke to the chap the other
day and he said, you know, when he went to the specialist
school, he was like, whoa, well. It hit your home.
It just hit home that your kids different.
Autistic kids look typical, all right.
Granted, they might be fucking doing all the spinning and
stemming and stuff, but a lot of these kids in Tibetan schools,
you know, they've got severe, profound needs.
They're in wheelchairs, they've got hoists, you know, Down
syndrome, they've got all sorts. Of stuff going on, horsies.
There's a mixture of health conditions, yeah.
But if you can get you getting a specialist school, please do.
And I'm sure a lot of you are absolutely trying to do that,
but. There's no way a kid at 5-6
years old that is still incontinent in nappies, non
verbal, you can't communicate that is left in a mainstream
school soiled for the rest of the day.
No and. That's just it's.
Crazy. You know, for me that is, that
is neglect. It is.
Neglect. OK, what else?
No. Someone said to me the other day
we treat animals sometimes better than Yeah, disabled kids.
And I thought about it, and after reading some of these, I'd
probably agree. Yeah.
You imagine you left a dog in a kennel, It just covered in its
faeces. The RSPCA would straight down
there. The bloody press would be on
you. We'll just stick A6 year old
girl in there and just leave her in a mainstream school.
They'd probably get paper. Fucking ridiculous.
Crazy isn't. It absolutely ridiculous.
So I thought, yeah, I just thought that was really
important to get. I think if anybody wants to keep
sending stuff in, I think regardless of what we're talking
about, it'd be quite good to share some of this stuff just to
kind of keep everybody aware. Maybe you just have a page on
the website where just update it and I put some of these stories
in there. Brilliant.
Exactly. People can just go there and go.
You know what, I'm not alone. This this is happening all over
the country. Yeah, it really is.
And again, This is why I keep sign posting people to the
discord group because you can get in there and suddenly go Oh
my God, I'm not alone. OK.
Thank you, Christ. And there's a lot of parents
there with some very useful information.
Also information. Yeah, I'm learning loads in
there and we learnt quite a lot from our position by getting
messages. Yeah, I mean, we're loads in the
first probably nine months. Yeah.
But having that Discord group and some of the people are like,
oh, you've seen this, have you seen this link?
Try doing this. Try doing that.
Oh, that's genius. Yeah, this, this.
Yeah. One of the good things that is
coming out is schools are being consulted by proximity, not
suitability. That seems to be a local
authority thing at the moment, doesn't it?
It's like we'll find out what schools local to us rather than
what's needed for that child. Yeah, yeah.
Need more? Need more schools?
We do need more schools. But we need more specialist
schools and teachers in mainstream schools need more
training. I think both can be true.
It's. Difficult.
When I look at Shrewsbury sometimes and I go, you know,
with the, the local councils, every month is like, oh, we've
just signed a new agreement for a, for new houses to be built, a
new estate or a new development. We've got another 200 houses
being built and then everyone goes OK, then we need to build a
new school and the new schools do get built.
Happy to, yeah. We'll just put a little
attachment on there. For it's like.
Send Kids a little hub there. We can take on 15 Send kids and
you're just like, yeah, but in the last year, a couple of
years, the population's increased by 10,000 or something
like that. Well, we're not seeing any
classes or schools being built for special needs kids.
Yeah, the evidence is showing that there's more children that
require that. And your alternative is what?
Just fit them into mainstream schools?
When I look at some of the mainstream schools, I'm like,
they're already at bloody capacity.
Yeah, like, you've got 30 kids in the classroom.
It's like, how are you going to what?
And the staff keep saying this and the staff already at the
brink and you want to give them extra training to deal with
extra issues. And I joked about this last
time. And I remember in even when I
was at primary school, we were so we had two classrooms and I
spent a year in one of them. They were a portal cabin.
Oh yeah. On stilts, you know, it felt
like a classroom. I wasn't part of the main
building. I was outside in a glorified
port. Cabin.
Yeah, that meal brace. Yeah, So what we're going to do
now, we'll stick all the same kids in port cabins.
It's just out of sight, out of mind.
I dread, I think it would be a tear jerk inside mate, I really
do. And you want to put your legacy
to this as a government? We need to get the teacher on.
We need to get her on. You did message.
I did see it. I didn't reply because I'm just
honestly, the amount of messages we get, we need to get her on
because she's actually at a mainstream school with a hub and
she's just kind of been left to it and she like adores these
kids and and the rest of the school.
But he's at the school again, just doing and.
That's the school doing their own thing.
Yeah, go in. No, we have provided something.
Yeah, on paper it says that we've provided something.
The reality is it's not working it'd.
Be really interesting to get her perspective on how that's going
to work. Yeah.
Did she get any specialist training?
I don't know. You'd have to ask her.
We'll have to find out, but it'd be.
Quite, quite a good one. But I'm sure that'd be a story
that'd be repeated. Yeah, and she's happened to talk
to us, which kind of surprised me because I thought the Pistons
should be in it might that might be a bit of an awkward one that.
She's doing the right thing for the kids, absolutely speaking
out. Absolutely.
And she, like she said, she adores the kids that she works
with. So to summarise, Merlin, sort
your shit out. Yes.
You're shit and white paper getting delayed a little bit
now. Are you saying March now?
Yeah, it's hard. It was.
Half term, yeah, but now March. Yeah, we'll see.
We shall see. We shall see.
But yeah, are we going to do enough on a Monday?
Get back in the swing a bit? Cool.
Yeah. Sorry guys, my fault.
I've been sick as a dog. OK.
Thank you, mate. Absolute pleasure.
Thank you guys. That was 28 and well, we'll see.
On the flip side, if you want to join, the discord link is in one
of the BIOS on actually it's everywhere, about 250 people in
there. Now 260, I think 260.
Yeah, it's, it's good. It's it's nice to see people
just talking and sharing their experiences and offering advice.
So yeah, it's helped. We all get together weekly.
I mean, I didn't last week, so I was sick in the stem and
whistle. But even if me and Andy aren't
there, everyone else is. Yeah, just chatting shit.
So thank you very much guys, and we'll see you on the next one.
See you later. Bye bye.