Portrush mother 'feels like I've failed my child' in battle for appropriate school travel for son (7) with complex needs

The heartbreaking words of a Portrush mother who ‘has nowhere else to turn’ in a battle to secure safe and appropriate travel to school for her son with complex needs.

Caoimhe McCoy said she ‘feels like I have failed my child’ after spending the summer months trying to organise transport for her seven-year-old son Lachlann who changed from his special school to SPIMs (Specialist Provision in Mainstream) this September.

Caoimhe explained that due to Lachlann’s complex needs he can no longer use any form of shared Education Authority (EA) bus or taxi.

"Travelling with other children in a taxi bus was just too overstimulating for Lachlann, it was too many people, too much waiting.

"And though the bus staff were great and did their best with him, his behaviour meant that he has to travel solo.

"All of this information has been noted and known by the EA.”

Lachlann was then paired up with taxi firm who, Caoimhe said, spent a lot of time getting to know the little boy’s needs to work out exactly how to work with him.

"They knew how to support him, they worked it all out and we had a really successful year of taxi travel.”

Then in March of this year, Caoimhe was contacted by the EA and informed that the taxi service would have to go out for tender.

"I fought to keep the existing taxi, involved an MLA, emailed the EA, spent hours on the phone, only to be told the week before that it wasn’t the taxi Lachlann knew and was comfortable with. I admitted defeat and tried to play ball.

"I didn’t find out until the week before Lachlann started his new school that a different taxi was coming,” said Caoimhe.

"Lachlann is not a child who can just hop into any taxi and head off to school. He needs regulation and routine and for things to be familiar and the people dealing with him have to know what his triggers are.

"The front-line staff at the EA have been amazing, but their hands have been tied by procurement, bureaucracy and the people above them making decisions.

"Lachlann’s taxi from last year is sitting ready and willing to take him, and the EA staff don’t have the power to give him the go-ahead.”

"I'm sure there are many families in similar situations,” said Caoimhe, adding: “These are the most loved and cherished little people we have, they are all little individuals.

"I understand that it is a massive undertaking organising transport for them but you aren’t working with kids who can just jump into any taxi.

"This is precious cargo. There’s far too much red tape, there has got to be special circumstances to look at people as individuals.

"I understand that there are budgets and you have to be cost effective but they can’t look at these children as pound signs.

"Lachlann’s such a special little guy, he’s very funny and has a great sense of humour.

"I feel like I have failed my child, it’s exhausting and I have fought as hard as I can. I am at the end of what I can give. The is was the last thing I wanted to do but I have nowhere else to turn.”

East Derry SDLP MLA Cara Hunter said: “Caoimhe's experience is deeply concerning, and sadly her family is not alone. My office has supported a number of local parents who have faced similar difficulties with the Education Authority when trying to secure school transport that properly meets their child's individual needs.

"For children with complex needs, familiarity, consistency and routine can be incredibly important. Changes that might seem straightforward on paper can cause real distress for a child and place addition pressure on families who already have so much to manage each day. Those individual circumstances need to carry proper weight when transport arrangements are being made.

"We have raised Caoimhe's case directly with the EA, along with a number of similar cases brought to my office. I have also raised the wider problems around SEN provision and school transport with the Education Minister many times.

"Parents across Northern Ireland should have confidence that decisions affecting their children are being made with care and with a genuine understanding of their needs. The EA must listen to families and show the flexibility and common sense these cases require."

Northern Ireland World has contacted the Education Authority for a response.