Lack of special school places is 'a kick in the stomach' for North East parents
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Parents say a lack of special school provision in the North East is a "kick in the stomach".
In recent years, there has been a rise in the number of children in the region with special educational needs.
The number of special school places, however, has not increased in line with demand, leaving many parents no option but to turn to mainstream education.
But what happens if the school does not have the funding or teaching staff available to support your child? That was the case for Amy Laverick from County Durham. Her 5-year-old son Jack has autism.
With special schools oversubscribed, Amy applied for Jack to go to a local primary, only to be told they would be unable to take him.
Ms Laverick said: "It was like a kick in the stomach. It really was. They did not have the funding. They were too far stretched. They couldn't give Jack what he needed to succeed.
"Had he not been able to get in a special needs provision he would have had to have been homeschooled which doesn't do well for the social aspect of his autism because he's behind in his social skills.
"If he was at home with me all day, every day, he would have no social skills. He would have no life skills."
Instead, Jack started at Consett Infants School last year. It is a mainstream school but staff there off extra support for 16 children with additional needs.
Headteacher Julia Graham said her teaching staff are doing all they can, but urgent funding is needed from the government as the current system is at breaking point.
Ms Graham said: "We want to include these children. We want to educate them to the best that we possibly can and to meet their needs, but ultimately, the funding that we provide doesn't allow for that so we're having to dip into our own reserves this year.
"We are just about plugging that gap but I am concerned for next year. Those gaps are going to be so wide to plug.
"I think the only thing that's going to start leaking and hemorrhaging is the quality of what we do."
Local Authorities provide some funding for each pupil with additional needs, but there are warnings from teachers that it is not enough.
£26,000 - The cost to this school of a teaching assistant providing one-on-one support for a year.
£9,000 - The amount local authorities provide to cover costs.
£17,000 - The remaining amount of money schools must fund out of their own budget.
Consett Infant School Headteacher, Julia Graham is worried that if funding becomes too tight, she may have no other option but to say they're unable to support more children with special educational needs.
Ms Graham said: "Morally I really hope not, because as a head teacher who believes passionately in inclusive education, I really wouldn't want to turn away a child and I really wouldn't want to be saying to a parent, I can't meet your child's needs. But in reality, if I haven't got the money to take on an additional teaching assistant, then I couldn't meet the needs."
It was a concern felt by Jack's mother Amy, but she said her son is proof that with the right support, children with additional needs can thrive in mainstream education: "I'm scared for the parents, because I know exactly how they'll be feeling right now, thinking that their child might not be cared for to their needs.
"It will keep them up at night, it is terrifying."
The Government announced an improvement plan earlier this year, to reform provision for children with special educational needs.
A report was published saying that the Department for Education had ambitions to end the 'postcode lottery system' and give all children the help they need.
The report highlighted that early intervention is key, more training is needed to help staff assess and monitor SEN children, and more specialist schools are required.
There are currently plans for four new schools in our region.
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