‘I left work as my son didn’t have a school place in Lancashire’

A mother has said she was forced to leave work after her son was left without an appropriate school place.

Hannah Collins said she had to fight for two years to secure an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) for her autistic five-year-old son.

The 23-year-old from from Leyland, Lancashire, said he eats “anything non-edible”, adding: “We were doing constant risk assessments and he was at home for nearly two years – I had to give up working.”

The Department for Education said it had inherited a struggling SEND system and was committed to “deliver better outcomes for every child”.

A spokesman added: “We have already carried out over 100 listening sessions with families, and [School Standards] Minister Georgia Gould will be leading the engagement with more parents to make sure we deliver better outcomes for every child through the Schools White Paper as part of our Plan for Change.”

On Monday, parents, carers and young people left a row of children’s shoes outside Lancashire County Council’s headquarters to protest against the poor way they say children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are treated in the county.

Organisers said each pair of children’s shoes represented a young person who had been failed by SEND provision.

Similar protests took place across Merseyside and Greater Manchester as part of a national day of action to highlight disparities in the provision of education for children with additional needs.

Parents attending the protest in Preston shared their experiences and concerns.

Hannah attended the protest and said after two years of waiting her son now attends a specialist school.

Sarah Longbottom, from Rawtenstall, said she had been fined for keeping her 11-year-old daughter away from school, even though she was being educated at home.

The 42-year-old said her “so bright” daughter, who has complex needs, “gets so upset if I even say the word ‘school’.

“She has no confidence in learning.

“What parent doesn’t want their child to have education?”

Sally Alker, from Chorley, said she had taken a year’s career break to “sort out a high school” place for her daughter.

“She is currently in Year 5, working at Reception or Year 1 age,” said the 36-year-old.

A Lancashire County Council spokesman said: “We hear and understand the concerns of families and we know how difficult the wait for support can be.”

“We know we have made real progress and we know there’s more to do.”