A mum had to quit her job after her five-year-old boy was rejected by 15 schools.
Angie Matthias’ son is non-verbal, has autism and ADHD, and a chromosome condition and should have started school in September 2023. But a place could not be found for him until September 2024 – and he only lasted five weeks. She has since been forced to leave her full-time job to home-school.
Angie, who has a mortgage to pay on her Chesterton home, said: “He started school in September and the school didn’t get him any sensory equipment. “Every day he was coming out dysregulated, as he’s non-verbal and doesn’t understand the new setting or the new people. As you can imagine he’s in distress at that point.
“So he only did one full first week and then they were supposed to be doing 9.30am to 2.30pm. Then they dropped him to 9.30am to midday and then because they weren’t doing anything there was no structure to the day. “He’s a little lad that’s scared basically because he doesn’t know what’s happening. They basically said after five weeks that they could not meet his needs and to not bring him back.”
Angie says Staffordshire County Council overruled her concerns that the September 2024 school was unsuitable, despite an Education, Health and Care Plan – a legal framework which must be adopted by schools – stating the boy requires one-to-one or two-to-one support.
Angie, aged 43, added: “Now I’m a single parent with a mortgage to pay. I can’t work, my little one isn’t in any school or education. So in a sense I had to home-school him until they sort this mess out. This could break families down and all because the local authority did not do their due diligence. For me that school wasn’t fit for purpose.”
The number of Staffordshire children with special educational needs or disabilities has now risen to 22,800 – a 30 per cent increase in the past five years. Councillor Jonathan Price, cabinet member for education and SEND, said: “Funding for SEND has not kept up with demand and we continue to work hard to try to meet the needs of our children within the resources we’ve got.
“We are aware of the school’s decision in this case and are working with the family to find the most appropriate setting for their child’s needs.”
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