Administrative Court, Solicitor: Russell Jones & Walker.
This was a statutory appeal by the LEA following a hearing before the Special Educational Needs Tribunal for Wales at which I successfully represented the mother and an order was made for placement of the child at a residential school. The LEA first sought to review that decision, and then lodged an appeal to the Administrative Court, which was withdrawn shortly before the hearing (in September 2006) following exchange of skeleton arguments.
The principal issue in the case was whether a child with severe autistic spectrum disorder and associated behavioural problems, who could not be managed at all in the home environment, required a residential placement for educational as well as care reasons.
