June 12, 2019, Wales Online: 'I am not sending my son to school because it makes him unhappy https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/gabalfa-cardiff-school-adhd-statement-16420918 A mother whose young son has ADHD is refusing to let her little boy go to school - insisting mainstream education is making his behaviour worse. Liam O’Callaghan, eight, has been excluded on multiple occasions from Gabalfa Primary in Cardiff - and has also run out the gates numerous times too. He has not been to class in more than seven weeks and mum Mary insists he won't be going back. Cardiff council said it worked hard to help children with additional needs…. Liam was diagnosed with ADHD aged six and has been prescribed medication to help with his behaviour. However, Mary said her son finds the noise, lights and crowds in a mainstream school difficult to deal with. … Mary hoped things would get better when the school agreed for Liam to go part time to a special needs unit last Christmas term. She said Liam’s behaviour improved and he was happier, but when he was re-integrated back into school the problems started again. … Recalling her son's last day at school, she said: “I had a phone call from the school saying 'pick him up'. "I was at emotional breaking point. I felt suicidal and couldn’t cope. I decided to take him out of school.”… "What I want is for my son to go to a special school and be safe and happy." Mary has two other sons Declan, 24 and Jacob, 18. Jacob has ADHD and autism and goes to Headlands special school in Penarth, where he is happy and thriving. She said: “I just want Liam to be able to go to a school that can meet his needs. … “The safety of all pupils is the number one priority. If a pupil is at risk of causing harm to themselves or to others, specialist trained staff will use restraint techniques as a last resort, not only for the child’s own safety, but also for the safety of their classmates and teachers. “If any family needs our help, we ask that they work with us to access the full range of support we can offer.”
