But WHY didn't the 'Wheels on the bus go round and round'?

  • By The Difficult Parent
  • •
  • 14 Jul, 2019
  • •

We were supposed to have a meeting with senior managers to discuss this.  However the meeting was cancelled.  To us, the answer to this problem is obvious - first and foremost, various managers must follow codes of conduct, codes of practice, statutory requirements, guidance and policy.

Well, we blogged about our experiences of the PTS in the very tongue in cheek blog The Wheels on the Bus (DON'T) go round and round

Well, we blogged about our expereinces of the PTS in the very tongue in cheek blog The Wheels on the Bus (DON'T) go round and round


Essentially,

1. Bus kept breaking down
2. Family followed protocols and complaints process,this includes contacting the member children and families, Elin Weston, after service fail 6 (fwded by Head of SEND to the PTS with the covering email 'Sorry, but we've had an members enquiry' - still not dealt with properly
3. Local authority fail to stick to their policies and procedures for the delivery of this service
4. Severely disabled child and family experience 10 service fails between September 2018 and May 2019
5. Only properly adressed after service fail 10 and taking to twitter where we received huge support from members

But thats what it took to get the bus replaced

We kept asking:

1. Is the bus fit for purpose?
2. Are the checks pre travel sufficient and taking place early enough to preempt delays?
3. In addition, I would still like to know what contingency measures beyond waiting 30 minutes are in place for long delays and how the complex needs of 2 children on the bus can be safely managed in such circumstances with one escort?


What we would have asked the senior managers to explain...

1. How is this service being effectively managed to ensure vulnerable and fragile people are not being subjected to unnecessary stress and risk? 

What Officers need to explain:

1. How is this service being effectively managed to ensure vulnerable and fragile people are not being subjected to unnecessary stress and risk?

Eg Is the right information being brought to the quarterly management review meetings for the service? Are concerns being recorded accurately and appropriately acted upon?

It would seem not. The issues blogged about here were not picked up on; the additional stress, for very nearly an entire academic year, on a family already under huge stress was unnecessary and avoidable. The additional risks to our son that arise from stress and delay was callous and unwarranted. He has a very limited understanding and is reliant on routine to keep him feeling safe. Change can induce upset that lead to seizures.

2. Are issues being picked up in a timely way and appropriately acted upon?

2. Are issues being picked up in a timely way and appropriately acted upon?

Again, clearly not. We raised issues directly to officers in emails and phone calls, through the online complaints procedures and via emails to council members and nothing was resolved until we resorted to twitter, after 9 months of going about it the 'right way'.

3. Did the department review the failings highlighted by this experience? If so,what did the learn from it? If not, why is reflective self evaluation not part of their normal daily or weekly management process?

3. Did the department review the failings highlighted by this experience? If so,what did the learn from it? If not, why is reflective self evaluation not part of their normal daily or weekly management process?

It is deeply concerning that the response to such failings is a total review of the service, which is time consuming, costly, and delays putting things right. Officers need to be more responsive to concerns raised by (well meaning) users who are clearly telling them THIS IS NOT WORKING. Referring to this experience (9 months) and  concerns about the application form (2 years of concerns STILL not properly addressed) and concerns raised about the new policy during consultation and the time of its implementation.

4. Why is the policy worded against parents and not in line with the law? 

5. Why are ALL operational procedures not followed? 

Had Haringey  stuck to their own procedures 2 penalty notices would have been issued to the supplier.

6. Do officers fully comprehend the impact of such failings on vulnerable families?

6. Do officers fully comprehend the impact of such failings on vulnerable families?

In a recent SEND Reforms meeting it was said that staff do not deliberately not follow Codes of Practice and so parents should not get so upset 

Yet codes of practice, governance, codes of conduct, operational procedures etc are the only things in place to protect very vulnerable people. They must be adhered to and officers who do not must be disciplined under the Haringey Code of Conduct for staff. This blog is a litany of failures since January this year. Officers should be ashamed - not arguing that they have done nothing wrong.

It should be made mandatory for all staff to mindfully follow procedures, guidance, statute and legislation. To not to do so, must result in active management of poor performance / under performance / concerns raised by service users. There needs to be clear lines of responsibility and accountability. Officers need to be held to account for their poor performance.

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