Ahhh Herts County Council, you never let me down…

So today, for the second day running I am sat here, trying to get through to someone, ANYONE who can help me within the council.

Like an army barricaded road, I’m having to nit pick my way through the various strains of departments, individuals, supervisors, call handlers just to find that magical person who knows even a jot about my sons case…

Jude still hasn’t been given a start date at his new school and the reason for this is because the council are yet to send on the documentation confirming his place. Until the school receive this, they have neither funding nor insurance to take him on. You have to ask, how hard can it be? A Panel decide (grudgingly) that yes, this school is best for Jude. Why does it then take a month…so far…before anything happens. I say a month but nothing has happened yet and it’s only going to now happen because I am not getting off this phone until I literally hear that the paperwork has left the building (I literally am on the phone as I write this.)

I’ve been on the phone for forty minutes so far whilst people pass me from person to person, repeat that they are just going to speak to someone more senior, that they’ll just investigate and get back to me in a second. NO-ONE HAS A CLUE. 

 

My SEN Officer left her job a couple of weeks ago and I’m assuming (because no one has told me anything) that she hasn’t handed over the case to anyone as I haven’t had a call from my new contact and this bloody form hasn’t been sent. And because I haven’t been allocated a new SEN Officer, we’re back in this state of limbo where no one knows what the hell is going on. This is ONE DOCUMENT we are talking about it. Surely it’s just a matter of looking up the case history, printing and sending?!?!

 

It was weird yesterday calling the main phone number for the council as I haven’t done that for months and months, ever since I found out the direct line and email addresses of my main professionals. I’m so flippin angry that I am having to do this, it isn’t fair on anyone and especially Jude as he keeps asking me when he’s going for another visit. I can feel the stress rising and all those awful emotions I experienced when we were commencing this insanely long battle to get Jude adequate schooling and care. I’m actually tempted to sue Herts County Council for stress as they have pushed me to limits no-one should ever have to experience. I’ve been an emotional mess for a long time now and still, they can’t seem to get this tiny little last bit right.

 

I don’t have much else to say on the matter but I just wanted to let you all know that I’m not depriving you of Jude school updates, I just have nothing to tell at the moment as he’s not there.

 

I shouldn’t be surprised really. If we look at the back history of how this has all unfolded, I should never have let myself relax until Jude was literally attending school. Lesson learnt: never trust the council to finish the job.

 

I’m still on call waiting by the way…

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