Top Tips for Meetings

Guidance

Meetings can seem scary. Things you don’t understand, words that go over your head and not knowing what you have a right to say or ask for. To help with these common problems, we’ve put together a collection of tips to help make meetings less stressful and more accessible to you as a parent or carer.

If you have any further questions or would like further support in preparation for/at your meeting, please feel free to give us a call on 0121 303 5004

Pre-meeting

  • Talk to the school to be clear on the reason for the meeting and who will be attending
  • If you have asked a SENDIASS Officer/friend/support worker to support you in the meeting, be sure to let the school know beforehand
  • Take a copy of the SEN Code of Practice or relevant pages from the document – highlight key points to reference to
  • Make a list or bullet-point your main ideas/arguments to keep you on track
  • Write down any questions you have
  • Gather as much relevant evidence as you can (medical/professional reports, diagnosis, previous teacher comments etc.)
  • Set a clear goal(s) for the meeting

During meeting

  • Ask if anyone will be taking notes and whether these can be shared
  • Be realistic – remember, you could be frustrated at something much greater than what the school and/or the LA can control
  • Don’t be afraid to ask questions or for clarification of terms/abbreviations
  • Remember that everyone at the meeting is there to support your child
  • Stay focused on the needs and provision for your child or young person
  • Go through your list of points and questions with the school. Tick them off as they are dealt with. Begin with points which you think will be easily agreed. If you do not reach agreement on some points, it may be worth coming back to them at the end
  • Be prepared to negotiate
  • Allow yourself to be engaged in active listening. Be clear on what is being said
  • Allow yourself time to pause and take deep breaths. If you get upset, ask for ‘time out’ whilst you leave the room and compose yourself before returning to the meeting
  • Before you finish, check if you have covered all the points and questions made in your notes
  • Ensure that any agreed actions are recorded with who is responsible for carrying them out. How and when will these be reviewed?
  • If necessary, arrange a date for a review meeting

After meeting

  • Email summarised notes back to the teacher/SENCo as written evidence of what was agreed at the meeting and timescale etc. You could also ask for them to confirm these are accurate. Evidence is key
  • Suggest that a date is set for a review meeting even if it is the next term
  • Start to note strategies which enable you to be effective at supporting your child, whilst still allowing you to be comfortable. This will increase your confidence
  • Follow up on agreed actions if necessary
  • Ask for a copy of the meeting notes. If you disagree with them, then make your case to the author of the notes. If you do not do this, it will be assumed that you agree with them
  • If no notes are taken you could write a letter of thanks with any agreed actions included. This ensures that there is a written record of the meeting outcomes
  • Keep all paperwork in a file so you can refer to it at a later stage if necessary