Parents of children with special educational needs from Gloucestershire are 'close to breaking point' in lockdown

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Lockdown has been particularly difficult for the families of children with special educational needs. One woman from Gloucestershire whose child has autism has had no access to respite care and says it has brought her close to breaking point.

Cassie Kane, from Cheltenham, is a single mum. Her son Mikey has difficulty communicating and his behaviour can be challenging. She would normally send him to a special school during the week, while she is at work, and then to a respite centre one day at the weekend.

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With the respite centre, Hop Skip & Jump closed after the charity which runs it became insolvent, and now the school holidays are underway, she is coming to the end of her tether, emotionally and physically exhausted. 

"Recently he's started smashing things, anything - especially glass - that will break. Most recently he threw a bedside cabinet over the stairs as my daughter was coming up. It luckily didn't hurt her seriously but, had it hit her, could have killed her."

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Ruby also has autism, and used to attend Hop Skip & Jump. Her mother Rachel Hart has noticed changes in her daughter's behaviour since it closed. She says:

"She's just deteriorated. She's gone backwards and so many of her old behaviours have come back. We had calmed them down but they have come back in full force. Like repeating what she says over and over and over again and snatching, hitting".

Cassie Kane says the situation is chronic. "It's from the moment he opens his eyes until the moment he goes to sleep. It's taken a knock-on effect on my health. The situation feels relentless. To know that Hop, Skip & Jump is sitting there locked up when we could be using the facilities".

Councillor Richard Boyles, Gloucestershire County Council's cabinet member for children's safeguarding and early years has released a statement.

"Despite extra money from the county council, Hop Skip & Jump went into administration in March.  Despite this, the council had been working with them to continue to provide services, until they closed following government Covid restrictions. "We are committed to making sure all children and their families have access to the support they need during the summer and we have been working with all local providers to help them reopen in a safe way. The decision regarding reopening will be made by their administrators."

We have also contacted Hop, Skip & Jump's administrators but have so far had no response.