Seaford mother tells of ‘nightmare’ struggle for autism support

A mother has said trying to get educational support for her autistic daughter in East Sussex has been “frustrating” and “a nightmare”.

Dr Laura Evenstar, from Seaford, said current systems to apply for help for children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) “don’t treat you like a person”.

The family are continuing to fight for an Educational Health and Care Plan (EHCP) for their 10-year-old daughter, Autumn, with Laura saying that at times they had “struggled to cope”.

An East Sussex County Council spokesperson said it had seen an increase in requests for EHCPs and was facing “significant delays” beyond the control of councils.

Dr Evenstar said: “It has been really difficult not getting the support she needs.

“I’m really worried about her confidence – she has had that destroyed over the last few years.

“I find it so frustrating that they don’t see the child behind it. It has been a nightmare.”

Autumn was diagnosed with autism and ADHD in February 2024, having struggled with anxiety and school attendance since 2020.

Dr Evenstar said her daughter began to suffer panic attacks before school, becoming increasingly anxious, crying and screaming.

In July 2024, Dr Evenstar applied for an EHCP assessment but this was refused by East Sussex County Council in August.

After a year-long fight including mediation, a Send tribunal ruled in favour of the family, who are now seeking further assessment.

A Panorama documentary featuring EastEnders actor Kellie Bright found both families and local authorities suffering from a backlog of children seeking EHCPs.

An East Sussex County Council spokesperson said requests for EHCPs had risen by 13% in the county in the past 12 months, and 60% in the past three years.

They added: “Despite this increase, East Sussex has performed well compared to local authorities nationally in our timeliness for completing assessments.

“There are, however, significant delays in the tribunal system which is overseen by the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal and, therefore, beyond the control of councils.”

They said the council could not comment on individual cases but it was “committed to working with parents and carers to “ensure children get their needs appropriately met in their local community and are given the opportunity to achieve the best possible outcomes”.

• If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, information and support can be found at the BBC’s Action Line website