'I've been ignored & gaslit as I fought for my son'

MUM'S 10-YEAR BATTLE FOR SPECIAL-NEEDS PUPIL LEADS HER TO CAMPAIGN FOR REFORM

- By EDWARD BARNES

A "HEARTBROKEN" mum said she felt "ignored" and "gaslit" after her son was left in limbo for to years.

Rebecca Tilston, from Pensby, is calling on the government to take action so no other family has to go through what she says hers went through.

Back in 2015, Rebecca applied for an education, health and care plan to provide support for her son Harry when he was six, but it was not until this May, 10 years later, that it came through.

Harry, now 16, had been diagnosed with ASD, ADHD, and OCD but the Wirral mum said the delay meant his school didn't have the resources to support him.

Now she has launched a petition in the hopes of starting a national campaign to see wide-scale reform.

The mum, who has experience working in both special and mainstream education, is calling for educational institutions to be made accountable so that timely and fair assessments can be made for every child, accessible guidance for families issued, national reform, open days for children with special education needs and disabilities (SEND), and making sure all education staff are trained.

She said it is a campaign for teachers and schools as well as parents.

Rebecca said she believes the issue was not the fault of schools that didn't have the resources, but added: "Teachers do not know how to support them [special educational needs - SEND - students].

"It needs to be all staff, not just SEND staff. It needs to be all staff because they are all looking after our children."