Derbyshire County Council 'very sorry' after disabled Chesterfield boy denied SEN place
Katie Oscroft reports.
The mother of a boy with complex special needs says it is "heartbreaking" that he is unable to attend his allocated school because it is too small for his mobility equipment.
Five-year-old Phoenix Ray, from Chesterfield, has cerebral palsy and is unable to speak after being born prematurely and suffering brain damage.
He relies on a wheelchair to get around, but was denied a place in special education and instead told he could attend Highfield Hall Primary School.
His mother Cally Hewer, 39, said the mainstream school made extra efforts to accommodate him, without success.
"The school tried their best, but to be told he just won't fit inside the classroom is heartbreaking," she said.
"There is a piece of paper saying he has access to a certain school but he can't even get up the steps to get in the classroom, so how has he got access?
"There's a little boy here who really wants to learn. This is just another barrier for children with disabilities."
Mrs Hewer's request for her son to stay at nursery until a special school place was available was refused.
Phoenix is now being kept at home with his two-year-old sister, Nelly, until a suitable place is found.
"We've gone through so much, it was a challenging birth, and he fought so hard just to have a life and to me that life should be fulfilling," she said.
"We shouldn't face barrier after barrier."
The case comes after an ITV News investigation revealed the shocking scale of the special educational needs crisis across UK.
Derbyshire County Council said it had invested £1million to improve its education, health and care plan (EHCP) assessment process and £11million to create 500 additional special needs school places.
A spokesperson said an assessment of Phoenix's case "should have worked in a more timely manner".
They added: "We are very sorry his family had to escalate their concerns through our complaints process, although he did have access to a school placement throughout that time.
“We continue to work closely with Phoenix’s family to secure him the right school placement to meet his specific educational needs and one his family, the school and we as the local authority all agree on and are happy with.
“Phoenix’s family has now requested a place for him at one of our special needs schools and we are processing that request.”
A spokesperson for the Department for Education said children with special educational needs had been "let down by a system that is not working".
In a statement they said: “We are determined to tackle these issues head-on, improving children's life chances with better inclusivity, expertise and capacity within mainstream schools, as well as making sure special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.
“There is no ‘magic wand’ to fix these deep-rooted issues immediately, but we have already started with Ofsted reform, our curriculum review, and more training for early years staff, and will continue to act as quickly as possible to create the change that is so desperately needed.”
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