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Can the LA refuse to attend a dissagreement resolution meeting and / or mediation prior to Tribunal?
I'm working with a family who were thinking of cancelling their Tribunal (luckily they haven't). They have been offered a Disagreement Resolution meeting by the mediation service. I am unsure if this is the same as formal mediation? Having waited 4 weeks for a meeting date the mediation service has responded as per below. I am at a loss as to what to advise further to the family now. Is there no statutory duty for the LA to attend either disagreement resolution and / or mediation?
After contacting your Local Authority, we have now received a response from them to your voluntary Disagreement Resolution request. On this occasion, your LA has, unfortunately, declined to participate in this meeting.
We are therefore closing this case. This does not preclude the possibility of the LA contacting you directly to attempt to resolve the problem. If we subsequently receive a response from your Local Authority, we will contact you to discuss further.
You may wish to consult your SEND Tribunal about your alternative options for proceeding with your Disagreement Resolution request. -
If YP is in specialist residential placement and is looking to stay there at post-16 transfer but the LA name the local FE college instead, can the YP continue attending the existing specialist placement until the Appeal process completed or do they have to attend the provision named by the LA in the interim?
Post-16 transfer wish to have continuing placement in specialist residential