Disabled children forced to go home to use toilet, councillors told

East Riding of Yorkshire councillors have been told of a lack of accessible facilities in some schools

Some children with disabilities have to go home to use the toilet because their schools lack the necessary adaptations, East Yorkshire councillors have heard.

The issue affected "a minority of children" across 103 schools, East Riding of Yorkshire Council was told.

The authority said it was working to adapt schools where necessary, but was limited by financial constraints.

A typical hygiene room could cost up to £60,000 and take a year to complete, a full meeting of the council heard.

Liberal Democrat councillor Tom Astell, the authority's equality champion, said the affected children were being failed amid an £8m backlog in works at the county's schools for 2024.

Parents and carers were free to name which school they wished their child to attend, meaning some schools might not have the correct facilities when their child started, according to the Local Democracy Service.

A council report from October stated that a lack of accessible facilities could mean the risk of legal challenges or Ofsted inspections deeming some schools inadequate.

It could also mean stress for staff and rising home-to-school transport costs, it added.

'Financial restrictions'

Mr Astell said while the issue affected "a minority of children", it meant their needs were not being met, which was in turn affecting their education.

"There is currently one school which does not have a disabled toilet, yet we have a child in attendance who requires one," he said.

"There is another school that does not have a hygiene room, but has a child starting shortly that will require one.

"We have children in our schools now who have to go home to use the toilet and change."

Victoria Aitken, Conservative councillor and children and young people portfolio holder, said she supported efforts to address the concerns.

"All four schools recently affected have been addressed with the necessary adaptations," she said.

"Unfortunately, we do have financial restrictions on being able to manage, which is something I find exceptionally challenging.

"I cannot put every resource into every school just in case a child comes to that school who needs it, but I don't have an infinite pot of money."