Ruth Perry’s family, whose headteacher passed away following a negative Ofsted examination, have been denied financial assistance for their legal representation. This decision was made just days before the highly publicized inquest is set to begin.
The headteacher’s family has turned to crowdfunding to cover their legal expenses, as other involved parties such as Ofsted, the local council, and NHS trust will have their costs covered by public funds due to being public entities.
By Friday evening, over £34,000 had been collected through over 2,300 donations. Among the donors were numerous members of the teaching community in England who are closely monitoring a case that has brought attention to the schools inspectorate.
The investigation will begin at the Berkshire coroner’s court on Tuesday. Perry’s relatives have stated that she was deeply saddened and took her own life following an Ofsted evaluation that lowered the rating of her school, Caversham Primary, in Reading, from “outstanding” to “inadequate” due to mistakes in safeguarding training and protocols.
The Gofundme page for the family highlights that public entities such as Ofsted, Reading borough council, and Berkshire Healthcare NHS trust will have their legal expenses covered by taxpayers, while the grieving family will not receive any financial assistance. This unequal treatment in terms of both legal and financial support is deemed unjust by the family.
The government maintains that most inquests operate in an inquisitorial manner, therefore families typically do not require their own legal representation. The coroner is responsible for asking questions on behalf of the family. In rare instances, families may have access to “exceptional case funding.”
The family contended that they deserved legal assistance due to the broader public significance of the situation. In a statement, Julia Waters, sister of Ruth Perry, expressed gratitude to all those who had contributed and criticized the current system that denies many families legal aid for representation at inquests as fundamentally unjust.
She stated: “In a span of 24 hours, we have gathered more than £30,000, giving us assurance that we will meet our goal. It is comforting and touching to know that we will be able to compensate our exceptional legal team through the kindness of the public.”
No family who has lost a loved one should have to endure the arduous process of an inquiry, especially one involving three government entities, without adequate legal assistance. It is unjust for families to have to shoulder the financial burden of legal support on their own during this difficult time.
A representative from the Ministry of Justice stated, “We are aware that this will be a challenging period for the loved ones of Ruth Perry and we send our condolences to them.”
“Most inquests do not require legal aid representation, but we have implemented changes to provide more assistance for individuals who have suffered the loss of a loved one.”
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A representative from Ofsted expressed their sorrow regarding the passing of Ruth Perry and sends their condolences to her family and the Caversham primary school community.
“We have taken into consideration the discussions within the community regarding our inspections for this year and have implemented measures to enhance our collaboration with schools over the summer. We remain committed to assisting with the coroner’s inquiry and will present our testimony at the upcoming hearing.”
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The Samaritans in the UK and Ireland can be reached by calling 116 123 for free, or by emailing [email protected] or [email protected]. In the US, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 for calls or texts, or chat on their website 988lifeline.org. To connect with a crisis counselor, text HOME to 741741. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline can be reached at 13 11 14. For other international helplines, please visit befrienders.org.
Source: theguardian.com
