(UK) Newcastle: 11yo with autism could be out of school for 19 months
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
A Newcastle mum fears her daughter will be stuck without proper education for more than a year because of a “serious gap” in support for children with special needs. Newcastle City Council and the Government have been urged to step up the help provided for families of youngsters with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), amid a dispute over an 11-year-old’s education and a backlog of cases that could leave her without any formal schooling or tutoring for 19 months or longer.
The girl, who lives on the Newcastle Great Park, has autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). She was given an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) when she was in Year 5, having struggled to cope at school and suffered with situational mutism – meaning she was unable to speak. . . .
But, within days, it became clear she was in significant distress and was unable to be in the school environment. Her mother has requested that she is allowed to go back to working with a private tutor once again.
However, that plea was rejected by the city council and the only alternative provision she has been offered is tutoring within the school itself – which the family says is unsuitable as the 11-year-old is not capable of being within the school building at all. An appeal has been made against her most recent EHCP review, but their date for a hearing with the SEND Tribunal is not until March 2027 because of a major national backlog.
Having been taught at home by her mother since last September, it means that the girl could be out of education for 19 months until her case is heard. Her mum, who requested that she and her daughter not be named in order to protect their privacy, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the delays and the absence of interim support while awaiting their appeal “highlights a serious gap in the SEND system”.
She said that her daughter is now being “punished by the system” and that trying to get help, while also working and giving her child the support she needs at home, had been like “banging your head against a brick wall”. The 41-year-old mum, who fears that thousands of other children across the UK are facing the same problems, added: “We are now seven months on from her going to the school and we have to wait another year for the appeal. Altogether it will be 19 months of her not having a proper education, all because she was brave enough to try going back to school.
“I just think of all the other kids who will be waiting like this, probably just sitting at home. Isn’t it supposed to be about the child? Why is nobody bothered about that?”
Newcastle City Council said it could not comment on the individual case, but that “our priority is always to ensure every child receives the education and support they need”. A spokesperson added: “Where a disagreement arises between the local authority and a parent regarding the provision set out in an EHC plan, we work together to try and reach an understanding. Parents are able to formally appeal decisions and engage in independent mediation, if an agreement can’t be reached then a SEND Tribunal will make a final decision.
“We fully recognise that the current national delays in tribunal listings can be extremely challenging and stressful for families. These waiting times are a national issue, and we continue to advocate for improvements so that families are not dealing with lengthy and often distressing waits while important decisions about their child’s education are pending. During the period before a tribunal date is confirmed, we maintain close contact with the school and the family to ensure that suitable interim education and support are in place.”
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