The Difficult Councillor
Brian Leveson • May 15, 2022
Councillor Michelle Simmons-Safo has approached the Haringey SEND department with concerns about the Transport Consultation
We contacted Cllr Simmons-Safo with our concerns about the Haringey SEND Transport Consultation
1. Everybody impacted by the proposed changes in SEND Transport provision was not consulted:
All users have not been contacted.
2. The consultation is not inclusive:
Wholly digital, no paper version, no translated versions, no Easy Read versions
3. There is an overwhelming amount of information: the [policy is now two documents - 41 pages and 50 pages :why has the parent carer forum not produced a simplified version with the main points? Not value for money -what are we paying them for?
3. There is an overwhelming amount of information: the [policy is now two documents - 41 pages and 50 pages :why has the parent carer forum not produced a simplified version with the main points? Not value for money -what are we paying them for?
4. This does not seem like a genuine intention to consult:
The online survey reduces the whole 91 pages into 9 very specific questions. No alternative options given.
5. The information share is not wholly transparent
For example - there is a new policy on Direct Payments - and there is now the following calculation (how is 'journey cost defined?)
Formula for PTB value: (Journey time x PA cost per hour + journey cost) x journeys per day x number of days attending school per week x number of weeks per academic year = PTB value
What about inflation? How long is a family tied to a budget? What are the values in the formula? and who sets the values?
Formula for PTB value: (Journey time x PA cost per hour + journey cost) x journeys per day x number of days attending school per week x number of weeks per academic year = PTB value
What about inflation? How long is a family tied to a budget? What are the values in the formula? and who sets the values?
Councillor Simmons-Safo called up the SEND assistant director
Councilor Simmons-Safo’s first action in post was to talk to the SEND department about the transport consultation.
Cllr Simmons-Safo asked for:
1.All
users to get letters informing them of the consultation
2.That
all users get stamped envelopes to reply to the consultation, and
3.The
details of the workshops to be more visible
What happened next...
Late on Friday afternoon, Mrs Difficult Parent (not me) got an email inviting her to go through multiple links to get to yet more multiple links to more documents.
This demonstrates to me
- It is still the case that not all people impacted by the proposed changes have been informed of the consultation
- The consultation is not designed for the ease of the people being consulted
- The consultation is digitally exclusive.
You can skip this bit ... ... its the ludicrous process of getting to the consultation...
When are they not trying to save money and exclude SEND kids from SEND transport?
Messing about with SEND Transport really messes about with a family - our email to the assistant director for SEND
Dear Assistant Director
INCIDENT 270422
Please see screenshot of messages this morning from escort.
730am we were told to get XXXX ready for 8am.
8:02am (after we should have been picked up) we were told that they were running late
8:25am we asked for an update a d were told the driver was waiting for a key.
We immediately ordered a cab and I am currently taking XXXX to school.
IMPACT
1. Our morning routines to get ourselves to work and XXXX to school are disrupted
2. XXXX is slightly delayed getting to work and this will reflect in XXX performance with regard to punctuality and attendance.
3. XXXX will be very late to work and this will impact my team mates who are expecting me to do some work to contribute to an output needed by the end if the day. This will then impact on my performance and contribution as a team member, putting a disproportionate burden on my colleagues, so we will all have to work a couple of hours later.
4. XXXX has had his routine upset and although his is currently coping with that disruption the purpose of SEND Transport is to ensure XXXX arrives at school in a fit state to learn.
5. Inequalities that arise from service failures this for our disabled child are XXX equal right to an education and the social and health benefits of being at his great special school..
6. Inequalities that arise from this for us as carers through association of XXXX protected characteristics arising from his disabilities are economic and the right to work and progress at work. The Borough Plan says that Haringey services should not lead to inequalities in delivered.
7. Financial cost of a wheelchair accessible London Black Cab Taxi.
8. Oppourtunity costs for me associated with not working this morning are being with my family or engaging in other respite activities that enhance my health and wellbeing which I will have to for go in order to work this evening.
OUTCOMES I AM SEEKING
1. Full reimbursement of travel costs.
2. For managers of the service to reflect and consider if a more timely sharing of information could have lessened some of the impacts.
3. I would suggest that informing us at 730am that there was no key would have completely changed and significantly lessened the impacts of this service failure.
I read with interest the SEND Transport Learning Review focused on the emotional impacts on families of service failures, delivered I believe by the single person who represented parents at the meeting. My view is such failures have a much wider and longer lasting impact.
Regards
And the disinterested response ... (we've had 3 disruptions in the last 3 'school weeks', so not occasionally at all)
Morning
Thank you for your email. I am sorry to hear of the disruption caused this morning, unfortunately we do on occasion experience difficulties such as the events this morning which we do our best to respond to and resolve. I note that you have copied [SEND TRANSPORT MANAGER] in who will look into your request and respond accordingly.
Kindest regards
Assistant Director
How Difficult Parent sees it...
The 'occasional' hiccup in SEND transport might not have devastating consequences in terms of holding down a job, but the endless failings of this service and the time taken up documenting and responding to emails, gathering evidence, researching guidance and policies to get the story straight does.
These incidents are not a one off - our blog is littered with SEND transport failings.
On they continue ... on and on and on and on ...
And the impact of those services failings should not be dismissed by Haringey Children's Social Services.
If you thought SEND was bad - the NHS is seemingly prepared to throw away money to private companies
About 3 or 4 times a year we get the euphemistic message 'Parents please note we have put a letter in your child's bag' - its a world away from how a child's death was handled in my child's first school
More of a trial by ordeal than a well organised clearly set out administrative process for moving the care of vulnerable young adults from Haringey's Children's Services to Adult Services. We have been failed at every stage of the process.
Never EVER get on the bus without a camera running if you need the priority wheelchair space
The reality of using a London Bus in the teeming rain on a Sunday afternoon is no joke when the parents of a paraplegic person in a wheelchair clash with the self-entitled buggy-pushing parents of toddlers.
Haringey SEND Transport are insisting that a 17 year old minibus with no air conditioning is a suitable vehicle to transport my paraplegic son in this heatwave. The appalling conditions inside the minibus inside the bus is something they knew about last summer, yet they have to date done nothing whatsoever provide a suitable minibus this year nor appropriately mitigate the temperatures inside the minibus.The conditions inside the minibus are so bad that they triggered multiple seizures during the heatwave as my son has epilepsy, which they SEND transport department know about and they also know that they are triggered by heat.It is not just son who is impacted: last year we know of one child who died on Haringey SEND Transport in the summer heatwave and another who had seizures.
I am simply asking a question - are we all absolutely certain that the road closure / travel restrictions (commonly know as LTNs) placed on some of the most severely disabled people who are wholly reliant on cars are absolutely necessary
Haringey's road closures exemptions policy for disabled people is not fit for purpose, unduly burdensome and intrusive - it's time to stand up against the pro-LTN lycra-clad cycling bullies
Is the argument for and against exemptions for disabled people in Low Traffic Neighbourhoods really a case of GOOD versus EVIL?
Letters from Labour Grandees and survey results from Haringey Council show people who opposed LTNs are women, elderly and disabled. Yet Peray Ahmet has described anti-LTN people as homophobic, islamophobic, sexist, racist and xenophobic.
