Family 'distraught' over Henshaws Specialist College place suspension
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Ruby Merritt, 20, who has severe learning difficulties and autism, has been attending Henshaws Specialist College in Harrogate
The parents of a student with severe learning difficulties said they were left "distraught" to find her college place had been suspended weeks after starting a new term.
Ruby Merritt, 20, is in her second year at Henshaws Specialist College, in Harrogate.
Her mum Lena Merritt said there were "severe staff shortages" after the college took on 20 new students.
The college confirmed the suspension and said it was recruiting 19 workers.
Lena Merritt, Ruby's mother, said the college's decision to suspend her daughter's place was "heartbreaking"
Mrs Merritt said: "We'd had her review at the end of July, before she broke up from the summer holidays. Everybody was really pleased with how well she was doing and all excited about another year.
"To let her start her second year and suddenly stop is a complete shock.
"We were distraught because we weren't expecting it."
Ruby has a number of "complex needs" including autism and is unable to speak.
Mrs Merritt said there had been an improvement in her daughter's development since attending the college.
"Coming home, she will sit down and take her shoes off and make an attempt to hang her coat up. We'd never had anything like that before, so it was just like a huge change in her. It was like she'd grown up.
"So it's heartbreaking to do this to her now."
Ruby's parents say they have seen a "huge change" in their daughter's development since attending the college
Henshaws Specialist College, which teaches students with disabilities aged 16 to 25, said it suspended places "for 14 of our 95 students following a review of student safety", because the college required "a higher number of trained specialist staff" and hoped the additional staff would be in place "by the New Year".
"We have, therefore, taken the hard decision to reduce student numbers temporarily.
"Unfortunately, three of the students will not be able to return to the college because of their individual needs," the college added.
Henshaws Specialist College said it reduced student numbers "temporarily"
Correction: This article was amended on 26 October after receiving updated information on the number of new students.