Destruction of independent Parent Partnership service

Stockport MBC has been denying parents of disabled children their right to open and honest dealings for years, to my certain - very well documented - knowledge.

Those parents, with the legal right to expect help from such Councillors as Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services, Mark Weldon and the director of Children and Young People's Services, Andrew Webb, have been denied the help which their children so greatly need. This cynical action is enforced by threat, bluster and the denial of documents to which parents have a right. . as is so ably pointed out by the document trail above.

Since the request made by R Holt is directed towards the alteration of the Parent Partnership Service, perhaps I can point out that in recent years, this service has hardly been independent. Its Head of Service having witnessed malpractice by senior members of Staff at Stockport MBC, which was designed to ruin the right of a disabled child to its own family life and to a formal (legally required) education, chose to ignore that malpractice. When the child’s family brought up the matter with Cath Millington, Head of Children and Young People’s Disability Partnership, the Head Of PPS signed a nasty letter, which seems unlikely to have been written by so anodyne an individual.

The term ‘diplomacy’ if used in this context, does not ensure that the rights of the child aren’t flouted. The truth might well foster an improvement. If a so-called ‘independent’ Service, refuses to recognise the truth – and act upon it - there can be no independence.. nor can there be any reliance by hard-pressed parents, on so already an ‘in-house’ service.

The reality of the situation in Stockport MBC, is that there can be no trust in any organisation which flouts the law, in the full knowledge that no overseeing agency will stop its malpractice.

It impacts so greatly on the safety of children that even Stockport's Local Safeguarding Children Board's actions are entirely disreputable. When proper recordings are kept and shown to those in charge, they still stonewall. High Signatories to Stockport Local Safeguarding Children Board are:

EAMON BOYLAN, CHIEF EXCEUTIVE, STOCKPORT MBC
RICHARD POPPLEWELL, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, NHS STOCKPORT
DR CHRIS BURKE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, STOCKPORT NHS FOUNDATION TRUST
REBEKKAH SUTCLIFFE, CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT, GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE
JUDITH FAUX, DIRECTOR, STOCKPORT COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICES
JOHN ARCHER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, PENNINE CARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

Duties of co-operation rest with those below.
More detailed information can be found here: http://www.safeguardingchildreninstockpo...
The job titles are accurate, but the list of names might be out of date, since Stockport LSCB seems not to be keen to let them out.
- Abdul Ghafoor, Named GP
- Rebekkah Sutcliffe, Superintendent Greater Manchester Police
- Andrew Webb (CHAIR), Corporate Director, Children & Young Peoples’ Directorate, Stockport Council
- Cath Millington, Head of Children & Young Peoples’ Disability Partnership, Stockport Council
- Charlotte Ramsden, Service Manager, Safeguarding Children Unit, Stockport Council
- Chris McLoughlin, Service Director, Social Care & Health, Stockport Council
- David Curtis, Executive Director of Nursing and Integrated Governance, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
- Dil Jauffur, Adult Community Service Manager, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
- Dominic Tumelty, Service Manger Early Intervention & Family Support, Stockport Council
- Farrah Rahman, LSCB Business Manager, Stockport Council
- Gavin Roberts, Head of Excellence & Development, Stockport Sports Trust
- Gillian Frame, Director of Provider Services, NHS Stockport
- Glen Hagan, CAFCASS Service Manager
- Ian Mecrow, Designated Doctor NHS Trust
- Jacqui Belfield-Smith, Head of Youth Offending Services, Stockport Council
- Jane Connolly, Staff & Workforce Development Manager, Stockport Council
- Janet Maxwell, Consultant in Public Health – Stockport PCT
- Jean Burston, Head Teacher, Hazel Grove Primary School
- Jo Ellis, Associate Director, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
- Judith Morris, Director of Nursing and Midwifery, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
- Libby Rous, Consultant Psychiatrist, CAMHS, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
- Maria Kidd, Services for Young People, Stockport Council
- Marion Meakin, District Manager, Stockport Probation
- Mike Gledhill, Head Teacher, The Kingsway School
- Mike Halsall, Head of Legal, Stockport Council
- Nadia Ali, Director, Council for Voluntary Services
- Richard Battersby, LSCB Administrator, Stockport Council
- Sue Gaskell, Senior Nurse Child Protection
- Una Hagan, Children's Service Manager, NSPCC
- Vicky Barrett, Deputy Head Teacher and Director of Studies

These people also should be acting professionally in ensuring that safeguarding work undertaken under their names, is undertaken lawfully and to the benefit of the child. They do no such thing.

To return to Stockport MBC, should parents insist on their right to copies of documentary Records in respect of their dealings with Stockport MBC and those Records kept by various 'professional' employees, they are expected to sign a nasty little document, referred to as 'Ground Rules' which was instigated by Disability Social Work Team Leader, Jon Carey, and which is claimed to have been brought in by Cath Millington, Head of Children and Young People’s Disability Partnership. See below.

Should any parent sign that document it could be held against them - for future reference, since a part of it states that the parent will not be awkward with social workers. If social workers acted according to their own stated remit, no awkwardness would ever be necessary. No waste of parent’s time would be necessary, and no child would be as badly let down as some disabled children currently are in Stockport.

Cath Millington, not being herself a social worker, has no control over any social worker within her own department, and thus is useless when approached for help against the rotten actions of social workers.

I believe that her response is a bit like crawling through mud.. bland, resistent - and designed to be of no help.
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The 'Ground Rules' document which parents are expected to sign, and which effectively gives away their right to come back for complete documents, or accurate documents, and states that 'for this time they will not be aggressive', assuming that previously they agree that they might have been.

As originally presented to one parent, it was on a plain unbadged piece of A4. This is the later, and nastier, version. The precise date, the parent's name and the child's name - have been removed to protect the parent and child. Instead the term "THE PARENT" has been substituted.
*************************
STOCKPORT METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL

Ground Rules and Receipt for documents regarding File Access Visit to Beckwith House DATE 2008
Note: Ground rules and receipt were drafted by Jon Carey to facilitate this meeting by keeping it on track as access to file. I explained to "THE PARENT" that I would only do this where there was contention and dispute and the likelihood of staff being verbally abused.
"THE PARENT" refused to sign this until I was able to verify by signature that I drafted this with the approval of my Head of Service, Cath Millington before 8th February 2008.
"THE PARENT" also insisted that this needed to be on official headed paper. I said that I would oblige to both of "THE PARENT" requests.
1. We do wish to facilitate access to file and assist "THE PARENT" read the hard copy file.
2. We do not wish to be subject to any abusive comments or behaviour, and the visit
will (regrettably) be terminated if this were to occur.
3. "THE PARENT" will only read the original hard copy file in the presence of Social Care
staff.
4. "THE PARENT" may wish to make "THE PARENT's" own notes on blank paper and these papers can
be added to the hard copy file today ( or a later date should "THE PARENT" wish time for
reflection)
5. Third party details, which have no written consent re sharing, will have been
redacted from the hard copy as "THE PARENT" is not legally entitled to third party
information.
6. A copy of the information which "THE PARENT" is entitled to will be given to "THE PARENT"
today, and "THE PARENT" will be asked to sign a receipt for this.
7. As it is not technically possible to redact information from the electronic file we are unable at this time to allow anyone other than the relevant professionals ( for example, independent court appointed reporting officers ) to view the electronic file.

INVESTOR IN PEOPLE
Jon Carey
Team manager CYP Disability Partnership Social Care
First offered DATE 2008
STOCKPORT
CYP DIS PARTNERSHIP
SOCIAL CARE
DATE (three days later than the first plain paper ‘Ground Rules’) 2008
1 RECEIVED AT BECKWITH HOUSE
Andrew Webb
Corporate Director, Children & Young People

STOCKPORT
METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL
Receipt of Access to file and Hard Copy of File
I acknowledge that I have been given Access to the Social Care hard copy File of "THE PARENT,s child", today DATE 2008.
It is not technically possible to redact information from the electronic file we are unable at this time to allow anyone other than the relevant professionals (for example, independent court appointed reporting officers) to view the electronic file.
A hard copy of the same file information to which I am entitled was also given to me today DATE 2008.

Signed

"THE PARENT", Legal Parent
Date

Signed

Jon Carey Team Manager
Date …. 2008

Date

First offered DATE (three days earlier) 2008

Note: Ground rules and receipt were drafted by Jon Carey to facilitate this meeting by keeping it on track as access to file. I explained to "THE PARENT" that I would only do this where there was contention and dispute and the likelihood of staff being verbally abused.
"THE PARENT" refused to sign this until I was able to verify by signature that I drafted this with the approval of my Head of Service, Cath Millington before DATE (three days earlier) 2008.
"THE PARENT" also insisted that this needed to be on official headed paper. I said that I would oblige to both of his requests.
I have read and approved pages 1 and 2 of ground rules/receipt prior to the meeting of the DATE (three days earlier) 2008 for the reasons already stated by Mr Carey.

Signed

Cath Millington
Head of Service CYP Disability Partnership

STOCKPORT
CYP DIS PARTNERSHIP
SOCIAL CARE
DATE 2008
Andrew Webb

l,SVI:Sr<>!< i% i i.'Ji'
(Children &: Young; Peop
**********************************

The document copied above, clearly shows an attempt to intimidate parents (other parents have also been expected to sign it). It also clearly shows a corrupt will to refuse adequate access to documents under the legally ratified Data Protection Act 1998.

There is also in Stockport MBC, no will to set right the gross inaccuracies made in the Reports of Social Worker employees of that borough, or by their 'professional' colleagues.

This disgraceful situation is fostered by the General Social Care Council's refusal to act in respect of social workers, and the refusal of OFSTED and other overseeing bodies to insist that the job remit of 'professionals' is followed accurately, consistently and to the benefit of the disabled child and its parents and family.

How much better is it assumed that Stockport Parent Partnership will be when taken totally ‘in-house’?

Parents have regularly to undergo the great strain of appealing to the SEN Tribunal. The Stockport MBC ignores the rulings of that Tribunal – wherever it can.

We are paying for this ‘fiasco’ way of treating our very vulnerable children and their needs.

There is more to this than just Stockport Parent Partnership Service.

There is lying, cheating, denigrating the hard-pressed parents, letting down “Children In Need” and telling the world that ‘everything in the garden is rosy”

Since entering the information above, I have also been approached by others in Stockport, one of whom has pointed out these facts: (Name removed - the term "(Parents)" substituted)

(other parents OF AUTISTIC CHILDREN have also been expected to sign it)

re the ground rules in your comments added to Ms Holt ...spot on ...but ...you could have said that the GSCC are now being asked by a government body to 're consider' the actions of TWO, social workers...and put the following statement made in the PHSO report...

" I have found that **** failed to properly investigate his complaint about the conduct of two social care workers who had committed a fraudulent act by falsifying his and his wife’s signatures"

" Mr B (’ (Mr A’s manager) copied (Parents) signature and’ transferred’ it onto their amended form“ (without (Parents) knowledge or permission)"

You could also add something very very important....the nasty derogatory ground rules issued to us and your family were different completely in their wording and presentation..check for yourself.....

Just to remind you, from the contents of the letter from the PHSO, ......'The legal restrictions on disclosure do not apply to this final report.'..

and this..."Ensure that any file of (child) has clearly marked instructions that all correspondence should be copied to (parents)."

you may also wish to add the following as well...

Director of Children and Young People's Services, Stockport MBC, Mr Webb, said in an email to employees:

"1. Look into the issue of “groundrules” issued to people wishing to access their records. (The Parents) were told that we use a standard template for this and simply enter the name of the person requesting access. From the two examples shown to me, this is clearly not the case. (The Parents) also believe that they should not have been singled out to complete this declaration – the process should be applied either to all or none."