Wheelchair user told he cannot have college place as council has not sorted SEND funding in time

• ITV Granada Reports correspondent went to meet Tomas who has been left unable to take up his place in college because of a paperwork pile-up

A Wheelchair Motocross World Champion has been told he cannot take up his place at college - because the paperwork for his special educational needs funding is not in place.

Tomas Woods, 16, has additional needs and requires a special educational health and care plan to fund his extra requirements.

But despite his family submitting all the forms needed in plenty of time, Lancashire County Council has not finalised his funding.

It means the wheelchair user, who has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, has been left waiting in limbo, unable to continue his education, until the paperwork is completed, leaving him feeling like a "second class citizen".

Tomas, from Preston, said: "I'm missing out on that time for my education but also just being around my mates and that social side.

"It's really disappointing, they're playing fast and loose with my eduction."

"It's just like, 'come on', it's not like it's a brand new thing, or something that is particularly difficult, it's just that somebody needs to put in the same form they have done for the past two years and the fact somebody hasn't done that is obviously really disappointing."

Tomas needs an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP), a formal document which describes a child or young person’s special educational needs as well as the support needed, and the outcomes they would like to achieve.

His plan has not been finalised, despite the fact his family say it is exactly the same as his previous year's.

Without a form, he does not have the funding to take up his place at college.

"I'm pretty infuriated to be quite honest," his mum Joanna Woods said.

"We've been over and over and over issues since he was eight, he is now 16, you just think this time it will be good, this time it will be fine, but this time it isn't fine, again.

"It's just really frustrating."

Tomas' condition causes chronic pain and muscle weakness, a traumatic school experience when he was younger means he requires one-to-one teaching.

He is also the current Wheelchair Motocross World Champion, but without his education plan he says even that could be affected as it supports his training.

"I rely on my EHCP, it funds some of my sports training, essentially instead of PE, so it does mean I'll miss out on that as well," Tomas said.

This is not the first time the family has had problems with Tomas' funding package, and have even had to go to court to fight for what he needs.

"The system is completely broken," Joanna said. "I really feel like they are pushing him out of education.

"Any other child can go and do A Levels or they can go to college but we're not in that boat."

A Lancashire County Council spokesman said: "We are in the process of supporting an individual with an EHCP via our dedicated SEND case worker and partners.

"We are in continuous communication with this individual and his family and we are working towards a solution as a matter of the utmost priority.

"Nationally, there is a huge increase in the number of children seeking SEND support along with a growing demand for education, Health and Care Plans (ECHPs), which is a challenge that local authorities up and down the country are facing.

"We truly aim to ensure that every child and young person in Lancashire can receive the support they need to reach their full potential in education and beyond, and we are aiming to find a solution for this individual as soon as possible."

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