Lynn mum's bid to help special needs children
A MUM who is battling for more support for her mute son has organised an event designed to help other parents get the right help for their special-needs children.
Grimston Junior School teaching assistant Leanne Richardson wants other parents to understand the importance of statements of special educational needs and for them to receive help in ensuring their child's statement is comprehensive.
Mrs Richardson (27) and husband Tim (29) have become locked in a dispute with Norfolk County Council over seven-year-old son Charlie's statement and believe parents need to fully understand the complex statement process to get the best for their child.
As a result Mrs Richardson, of Tennyson Avenue, Lynn, has organised a free workshop with educational law experts from Welsh firm Sinclairs Solicitors where parents can take their child's statement along and be advised what it should include. There will also be an opportunity for free one-on-one sessions to look in detail at individual statements.
Mrs Richardson said: "The statement is a legal document and unless it is right your child is not going to get what they need. A lot of parents don't realise what they are entitled to.
"It would be nice for people going through the statementing process now not to have to end up going down the route that I have."
Mrs Richardson met Norfolk County Council at an educational tribunal earlier this month to thrash out a dispute over the level of speech therapy autistic son Charlie should get. She has also made a complaint about his statement to the Local Government Ombudsman.
The ombudsman recommended she get compensation for confusion and lack of services over the council's failure to be specific in one of Charlie's early statements, but the amount of the settlement has still not been finalised. The result of the tribunal is also not yet known.
Mrs Richardson has organised the statement workshop in her role as secretary of the West Norfolk branch of the National Autistic Society, but is it is open to parents of children with any type of special needs.
The workshop is at the William Burt Centre, West Winch, 7pm to 9pm, on Wednesday, April 9.
To book a place or get more information contact Leanne Richardson on 01553 660224 or email nas.wnorfolk@googlemail.com
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Weather for Kings Lynn
Thursday 09 September 2010
Today
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