[senco-forum] Bullying by parents

Hello
  I was in two minds about posting this - I have left it for 24 hours (wise advice - thank you) and I am not posting in anger but I can see that anything I say may be open to misinterpretation.
  Let me say first and foremost - being SENCO is my job.  It may feel like it takes up my whole life but it is not life, it is a job.  As a person, I have the right to be safe at work just like anyone else. Please read the rest of this before you respond!
  I have only once felt physically threatened by a parent - he didn't actually hit me but it felt like he might.  I had also made the mistake of meeting him on my own.  I have sat in a meeting between two parents and another member of staff when I thought she might get hit by parents who were very aggressive.  I have also dealt with parents who were only allowed on the premises by invitation after being aggressive to other members of staff.
  I have never ever seen a professional being physically aggressive to anyone, certainly not a parent.  However, I have seen professionals who have confused and intimidated parents because they are 'experts in their field' but not good at communicating with some parents.  We deal with the full range of people from 'gifted and talented' to 'moderate learning difficulties', those with their own mental health issues, those who think their child is 'normal' when they have a disability, those whose child has a disability which they think is worse than I think it is in terms of learning, those who can't process what is said in meetings, those whose main interest seems to be to prove their child has a 'disability' so they can claim DDA, those who wouldn't dream of claiming any benefit when they should - I could go on and on.
  I am sorry that some schools do not realise that some pupils are both 'Gifted and Talented' and have 'SEN'.  I am sorry some parents feel that schools have not treated them fairly.  But I still firmly believe that most of us are doing the best we can in the time we have available and with the resources we have.
  Amanda 
  Secondary SENCO
  Cornwall

Amanda
Secondary SENCO
Cornwall