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BBC/sparkle sheffield
A council accused of failing disabled children in order to save money has admitted it has made mistakes.
Campaigners said children with autism and
other special educational needs (SEN) are suffering from a lack of
support in the classroom.
Children's charity Sparkle said Sheffield
City Council is obstructing parents' efforts to find suitable schools
for their children.
The council said it "truly regrets" its mistakes.
SEN reforms in 2014 saw the introduction
of education, health and care (EHC) plans which are legally-binding
agreements local authorities must abide by, but which cost them money.
Sparkle, which supports children with
autism and their families, said by delaying EHC plans, children are are
not being allocated schools in time or are sent to educational settings
which do not meet their needs.
The group, which has been running a
campaign called "Stop The Abuse", said this causes stress and anxiety,
sometimes leads to self-harm and is in effect "abuse".
Liesje Dusauzay from Sparkle said: "Our
children are being left to suffer extreme distress in unsuitable
environments without the support they desperately need.
"This is destroying children's lives and their families lives."
Sheffield City Council said in a
statement: "We are continuing to work hard to bring about improvements
in assessing, supporting and implementing the right provision for
children.
"We recognise we have not got this right
in the past, and despite improvements we still do not always get it
right currently. We truly regret this."
But solicitor Hayley Mason, who advises
parents taking legal action against local authorities, claimed councils
around the country are withholding information from parents in order to
save money.
She added: "They can save their sorries for themselves quite frankly, because it does parents no good."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-england-south-yorkshire-41098051
