AGXStarseed
Well-Known Member
(Not written by me)
Exchange Chambers is making a 'life-changing difference' to families battling for a decent education
Parents of autistic children in Merseyside and across the UK are having to battle to force local authorities to meet their educational needs.
That bleak assessment comes from the director of a Liverpool law chambers that has been praised for making a “life-changing difference” to autistic children and their families.
Mark Lever, chief executive of the National Autistic Society (NAS) says barristers at Exchange Chambers are making a huge difference by providing free legal representation for parents at hearings into educational needs.
Speaking at an event to mark the fifth anniversary of Exchange Chambers’ pioneering pro-bono alliance with the NAS, Mr Lever congratulated them on winning the Outstanding Family Support award at the recent Autism Professionals Awards.
Ongoing battle for a proper education
However, director of chambers, Tom Handley, told the ECHO that local authorities, faced with severe cuts to their budgets, will typically resist attempts by parents to ensure their childrens’ needs are properly met.
Mr Handley. whose own 25-year-old son, Stephen, is on the autistic spectrum, said: “Sadly, the situation is getting worse.
“Parents have to be prepared to fight for everything. Local authority budgets are being squeezed and sending a child to a specialist school is expensive.
“Local authorities would rather children went to local schools and they will take it to a tribunal. Then you need experts, reports and a barrister and that is where we come in. The NAS gives us the ammo to fight the cases.”
Tom Handley, director of chambers at Exchange Chambers in Liverpool. Picture by Tony McDonough
Parents 'daunted' by the prospects of legal hearings
Exchange Chambers’ pro bono relationship with the NAS came about five years ago.
Mr Handley added: “Until then, although volunteers from the NAS Tribunal Support Scheme had provided telephone advice and support to parents seeking to challenge local authority decisions regarding their children’s special educational needs, they had generally been unable to offer representation at hearings.
“Many parents, already exhausted by the demands of caring for a child with a lifelong disability, were understandably daunted by the prospect of arguing their case.”
Victory for Luke
Speaking at the event was the mother of a child known as Luke S. Luke has Asperger’s Syndrome and had been educated in a mainstream primary school.
The local authority proposed a generic special secondary school, but Luke’s mum objected that he would only fulfil his potential at a specialist independent school for children with autism.
The Exchange legal team successfully persuaded the tribunal that only the independent school could meet Luke’s needs.
One of the legal team, barrister, David Knifton, has four children, three of whom are on the autism spectrum.
Head of chambers, Bill Braithwaite QC, said its support of the NAS was “an absolutely key initiative which reflects our commitment to supporting the communities in which we all live and work”.
SOURCE: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/business/liverpool-lawyers-who-fight-parents-11351902
Exchange Chambers is making a 'life-changing difference' to families battling for a decent education
Parents of autistic children in Merseyside and across the UK are having to battle to force local authorities to meet their educational needs.
That bleak assessment comes from the director of a Liverpool law chambers that has been praised for making a “life-changing difference” to autistic children and their families.
Mark Lever, chief executive of the National Autistic Society (NAS) says barristers at Exchange Chambers are making a huge difference by providing free legal representation for parents at hearings into educational needs.
Speaking at an event to mark the fifth anniversary of Exchange Chambers’ pioneering pro-bono alliance with the NAS, Mr Lever congratulated them on winning the Outstanding Family Support award at the recent Autism Professionals Awards.
Ongoing battle for a proper education
However, director of chambers, Tom Handley, told the ECHO that local authorities, faced with severe cuts to their budgets, will typically resist attempts by parents to ensure their childrens’ needs are properly met.
Mr Handley. whose own 25-year-old son, Stephen, is on the autistic spectrum, said: “Sadly, the situation is getting worse.
“Parents have to be prepared to fight for everything. Local authority budgets are being squeezed and sending a child to a specialist school is expensive.
“Local authorities would rather children went to local schools and they will take it to a tribunal. Then you need experts, reports and a barrister and that is where we come in. The NAS gives us the ammo to fight the cases.”
Tom Handley, director of chambers at Exchange Chambers in Liverpool. Picture by Tony McDonough
Parents 'daunted' by the prospects of legal hearings
Exchange Chambers’ pro bono relationship with the NAS came about five years ago.
Mr Handley added: “Until then, although volunteers from the NAS Tribunal Support Scheme had provided telephone advice and support to parents seeking to challenge local authority decisions regarding their children’s special educational needs, they had generally been unable to offer representation at hearings.
“Many parents, already exhausted by the demands of caring for a child with a lifelong disability, were understandably daunted by the prospect of arguing their case.”
Victory for Luke
Speaking at the event was the mother of a child known as Luke S. Luke has Asperger’s Syndrome and had been educated in a mainstream primary school.
The local authority proposed a generic special secondary school, but Luke’s mum objected that he would only fulfil his potential at a specialist independent school for children with autism.
The Exchange legal team successfully persuaded the tribunal that only the independent school could meet Luke’s needs.
One of the legal team, barrister, David Knifton, has four children, three of whom are on the autism spectrum.
Head of chambers, Bill Braithwaite QC, said its support of the NAS was “an absolutely key initiative which reflects our commitment to supporting the communities in which we all live and work”.
SOURCE: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/business/liverpool-lawyers-who-fight-parents-11351902
