School support issues leave me isolated and bored, girl says

Leila said it was "isolating when you can't see anyone"

A girl with cerebral palsy has said being unable to attend school due to ongoing support issues has been "very boring" and left her feeling isolated.

Leila, 12, from Lancashire, has been unable to regularly attend for several years due a number of health problems.

However, her mum Carolynn said even when she was well enough to go, a lack of specialist staff and transport has stopped her, leaving her "in limbo".

Leila said she has missed her friends and "the social side" of school.

Carolynn said while Leila's attendance had been impacted by her vulnerability during Covid and her ongoing health issues, even when her daughter had been well enough to go, there had been barriers including "not enough adequate staff" to deal with her care needs as well as a lack of appropriate transport or equipment to help her travel there.

'Best endeavours'

She said her daughter had not been sent any schoolwork since Christmas 2022 "and no-one seems to care".

"It's just so hard, day in, day out, seeing [her] feel the way she does," she said.

"She doesn't deserve this.

"She has been through enough medically and personally to not have this as a problem in her life.

"This should have been sorted out years ago."

Carolynn said the issues around her daughter's schooling should have been "sorted out years ago"

Leila said being stuck at home was "very boring" and it was "isolating when you can't see anyone".

She said she missed seeing her "friends, the whole social [side of school] and just doing normal things".

Lancashire County Council said Leila had a place at a school near her home, but had not consistently attended due to her medical issues.

A representative said the authority was "reviewing Leila's education, health and care needs and will use our best endeavours to conclude this statutory process swiftly".

They added that "careful transition planning" would enable Leila to "resume regular face-to-face education, which will include transport support if required".