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Category Archives: SEND
‘Startling’ findings in Ombudsman report on children in care
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The council’s dilemma over cutting funding to the children’s services department has been highlighted by a report which says that youngsters in care are being let down by local authorities A report published by the Local Government … Continue reading
Council survey on cuts tries to pass the buck to residents
CROYDON IN CRISIS: The people running the borough, whether executive staff on sky-high salaries or elected councillors, have a well-earned reputation for failing to listen to the people they are supposed to serve. So why should residents expect any difference … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Brick by Brick, Children's Services, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Katherine Kerswell, Libraries, Report in the Public Interest, Section 114 notice, SEND
Tagged Brick by Brick, Croydon, Croydon Council, Hamida Ali, Katherine Kerswell, Labour, London Borough of Croydon, Report in the Public Interest, RIPI, S114, Section 114
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SEND campaigners fight on after Panorama revelations
A worried mum who has been fighting for her young son to receive the education he needs, and to which he is entitled, says that despite an 18-month battle with her local council, the situation for families of children with … Continue reading
Negrini reshuffles executive pack to cope with Henderson exit
Town Hall reporter KEN LEE on the latest changes in the executive suites at Fisher’s Folly The council could be looking to shave £150,000 or more per year from its on-going costs by not replacing Robert Henderson as the exec … Continue reading
‘Strong and stable’? Henderson is third to leave department
It was 2.43pm when the publish button was pressed yesterday at Inside Croydon Towers for our exclusive report of the imminent departure from the council of Rob Henderson, executive director of children, families and education. Two hours later, the council … Continue reading
Parents crowdfund for Judicial Review of SEND services
There’s another group of angry parents who are preparing to take the authorities to court – Sutton EHCP Crisis. Sutton EHCP Crisis was formed by parents of children with SEND – special educational needs and disabilities – because of the … Continue reading
Posted in Community associations, Education, SEND, Sutton Council
Tagged Sutton, Sutton EHCP Crisis Campaign Group
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SEND is ‘system in crisis’ according to Ombudsman report
Children with SEND – special educational needs and disabilities – are increasingly being failed by the system designed to support them. That’s according to no less an authority than the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. In its latest report … Continue reading
Posted in Children's Services, Education, Health, SEND, Sutton Council
Tagged Croydon, Croydon Council, SEND, Sutton Council
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Council issues false information as they cover their FoI tracks
Following our exclusive report last week on how Sutton was cynically trying to frustrate public questions submitted through a widely accepted online platform, the council quickly issued a statement. But what they claimed was not entirely true. CARL SHILTON picks … Continue reading
Posted in Helen Bailey, Ruth Dombey, SEND, Sutton Council
Tagged Helen Bailey, Liberal Democrats, Ruth Dombey, Sutton Council, WhatDoTheyKnow
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Sutton’s efforts to block public FoIs back-fires for Bailey
CARL SHILTON on the latest blunder in efforts to block public accountability at the LibDem-controlled council A blatant attempt by a south London council to shut down transparency and close off a well-respected and well-used online tool for putting Freedom … Continue reading
Posted in Helen Bailey, Ruth Dombey, SEND, Sutton Council
Tagged Helen Bailey, Liberal Democrats, Ruth Dombey, Sutton Council, WhatDoTheyKnow
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Official figures show Croydon is capital’s worst for complaints
Our Town Hall reporter, KEN LEE, crunches some numbers and finds that according to the annual report from the Local Government Ombudsman, our council does not compare well, however you dress it up Official figures from the Local Government Ombudsman … Continue reading
Posted in Adult Social Care, Bromley Council, Children's Services, Croydon Council, Education, Jo Negrini, Lambeth Council, Merton, Planning, SEND, Southwark Council, Sutton Council, TfL, Tony Newman
Tagged Bromley, Conservative, Croydon Council, Haringey, Jo Negrini, Labour, Lambeth, Liberal Democrats, Local Government Ombudsman, London, London Borough of Croydon, Merton, Ombudsman, Southwark, Sutton, Tory
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Parents group want Sutton’s head of SEND to be sacked
A parents campaign group has backed a call for the sacking of Sutton Council’s head of SEND, Councillor Jenny Batt. The parents issued a statement this morning in which they said that they have found Batt’s “complete failure to engage … Continue reading
Sutton Council sacks Cognus MD over their SEND shambles
Our Sutton investigations editor, CARL SHILTON, on an inevitable development in the council’s struggles over its special educational needs services Tracey Burley has been sacked as the managing director of Cognus, the Sutton Council spin-off company which is responsible for … Continue reading
Posted in Marian James, Ruth Dombey, SEND, Sutton Council
Tagged Cognus, Marian James, Ruth Dombey, SEND, Sutton Council, Sutton EHCP Crisis Campaign Group
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Council’s sorry performance after Ombudsman’s dozen rulings
One reason that rulings by the Local Government Ombudsman against local authorities, such as Croydon, attract so little attention is that the Ombudsman’s office never insists that the offending councils should publish the findings in full on their own website. … Continue reading
Sutton’s Bailey moves over Cognus as SEND pressure mounts
A crisis over provision of SEND services has forced the council’s chief exec to take urgent action, appointing a director to the company in charge Sutton stages a full council meeting tonight at which the borough’s provision of services for … Continue reading
Posted in Helen Bailey, Marian James, Ruth Dombey, SEND, Sutton Council
Tagged Amalia Banon, Helen Bailey, Marian James, SEND, Sutton Council
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Call for resignations over ‘devastation’ to SEND children
EXCLUSIVE: One of Sutton’s senior councillors is under pressure over continuing failures to provide legally required services for hundreds of vulnerable youngsters. CARL SHILTON reports It is becoming increasingly apparent that Marian James, one of Sutton Council leader Ruth Dombey’s … Continue reading
Scully goes in to Batt at PMQs for Sutton’s SEND families
Sutton’s failing SEND service looks set to get an early return visit from the inspectors of Ofsted, this time accompanied by officials from the Care Quality Commission. At least, that’s what Theresa Mayhem, the lame duck Prime Minister, indicated yesterday … Continue reading
Posted in Education, Paul Scully MP, Ruth Dombey, Schools, SEND, Sutton Council
Tagged Jenny Batt, Paul Scully MP, Ruth Dombey, SEND, Sutton Council
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Council tries to ‘hoodwink’ families to opt out of SEND services
Croydon Council is trying to save £100,000 from its SEND budget for every teenager currently receiving help from the local authority, under services which it is supposed to provide by law. Youngsters with SEND – special education needs or disability … Continue reading
Posted in Children's Services, Croydon Council, Education, Schools, SEND
Tagged Children's Services, Croydon Council, EHCP, SEND
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‘Families are at breaking point as a result’ of council action
Here, unedited, is the full text of the letter sent on behalf of the Sutton EHCP Crisis Group, to Ruth Dombey, the leader of Sutton Council. The letter was dated June 10. Dear Councilor Dombey, We are the members of … Continue reading
Posted in Children's Services, Ruth Dombey, SEND, Sutton Council
Tagged Hayley Harding, Jenny Batt, Marian James, Ruth Dombey, SEND, Sutton Council
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Parents threaten to take council to High Court over SEND
EXCLUSIVE: Officials in Sutton have suppressed a report that slams council leadership over its failing services for special needs and disabled children, as a campaign group threatens a Judicial Review with angry parents maintaining that the council’s private service provider … Continue reading
Posted in Children's Services, Ruth Dombey, SEND, Sutton Council
Tagged Conservative, Hayley Harding, Jenny Batt, Liberal Democrats, Marian James, Ruth Dombey, SEND, Tom Drummond, Tory
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Protesters SEND message: it’s not just money that matters
CROYDON COMMENTARY: Families who have children, teens and young adults with special educational needs and disabilities have become increasingly frustrated with the lack of care and attention provided by their councils. Yesterday, they staged a march on Westminster. SARAH BOWELL … Continue reading
Posted in Children's Services, Croydon Council, Education, Schools, SEND
Tagged #SENDNATIONALCRISIS, Children's Services, Croydon Council, London, SEND
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Autism Champion in broadcast that offered real experience
Jerry Fitzpatrick, the Addiscombe West councillor who is the borough’s Autism Champion, was this week interviewed on the Women’s Radio Station by Anna Kennedy. Kennedy is the founder of Anna Kennedy Online, an autism charity, and helping with the radio … Continue reading
Posted in Anna Kennedy Online, Charity, Children's Services, Croydon Council, Jerry Fitzpatrick, SEND
Tagged Anna Kennedy, Jerry Fitzpatrick
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Council couldn’t care less: Ombudsman upholds 7 complaints
Croydon Council had seven public complaints upheld against it by the Local Government Ombudsman in the first three months of 2019, research conducted for Inside Croydon can reveal. The rulings resulted in several apologies from the council, and hundreds of … Continue reading
Our children deserve help to improve their life opportunities
CROYDON COMMENTARY: It is autism awareness week. There’s been events staged at the Town Hall, and tomorrow there’s a special meeting at which teens, young adults, parents, guardians and carers can discuss their situations with councillors and officials. SARAH BOWELL, … Continue reading
Flemming’s SEND strategy report gives much to live up to
The council cabinet meeting at the Town Hall on Monday saw Alisa Flemming present the council’s draft strategy for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities – SEND. Councillor Fleming is the council’s cabinet member for inadequate children’s services and failing schools. … Continue reading
Posted in Alisa Flemming, Children's Services, Croydon Council, Education, Schools, SEND
Tagged Alisa Flemming, SEND, Special Educational Needs
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