A severely autistic boy of 10 has been without education for the last two-and-a half years amid what his mum claims is wrangle over transport to a special school. Allana Carvell searched in vain for a school for children with special educational needs or disability (SEND) in Salford for her son Joshua.
She said he left his previous school in the Trafford area in March 2019 because of his behavioural difficulties. Allana said she was told by Salford city council there were no SEND places for the boy locally, but thought she had found the solution when friends recommended Kingfisher Special School in the Chadderton area of Oldham and was delighted when he was accepted there.
She said she thought Salford city council had arranged the necessary transport to Kingfisher from the family home in Walkden. But with an excited Joshua waiting at home dressed in his new school uniform on the first day he was due to attend, the transport never arrived, said Allana.
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Mother-of-five Allana, 44, says she was told by Salford's special education needs access and inclusion team that the council's transport team should have been deployed to take him, but she says they 'knew nothing of the arrangement' when she called them. "Eventually a driver did turn up, but Joshua needs assisted transport, not just a driver," said Allana.
"I was told Salford could not provide this. The driver said he knew this, but said he had been sent to my house even though he knew he could not take Joshua to school, so he would be paid. I was livid and told him not to come back.
"I am a single mother with five children and cannot afford to pay for daily assisted transport from Walkden to Chadderton. Joshua has been without education for two-and-a-half years.
"I offered to home-school him, but the council said I was not allowed to. I think it was probably because I have four other children." She added: "Joshua is finding being at home and not receiving an education extremely challenging and I am worried about the long-term effect this is going to have on his fragile mental health."
She also said emails she had sent to Salford city council had received 'no response' and of a 'lack of communication' with officials. Allana said she was pursuing an official complaint against the handling of the problem with Salford city council and says she will take it further with the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
As reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service on Friday (November 4) the Ombudsman has slammed officers and senior managers at Salford city council for knowing a girl of primary school age was without education for two terms but 'failing to take responsibility'. The authority was ordered to apologise to the girl's mother and pay compensation to her totalling more than £4,000.
A spokesperson for Salford city council said: “We have never refused to provide travel assistance to schools where the child was registered and due to attend and that offer of support continues. The only period travel assistance was not offered because it was not required was from December 2021 to September 2022 when the family elected to educate the child at home.
"There was a slight delay in recruiting an escort in September 2022 but this was resolved by mid-October 22 and transport options are in place. Our aim is to continue to work with the family in the interests of the child and secure attendance at school.”
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