Parents' plea on autism 'lifeline'

By Steve Hammond - March 05, 2009

PARENTS of autistic children are hoping to present a 3,500-signature petition opposing the closure of special school to the Prime Minister.

They say the closure of Ewing School on Central Road, West Didsbury would be a disaster for their sons and daughters.

Many of them have autistic tendencies and parents say the school is vital to their development.

They fear a city council proposal to ‘disperse’ them in mainstream high schools would lead to their isolation and decline.

Ann-Marie O’Reilly has two autistic sons, Connor, 13, who attends Ewing, while his nine-year-old brother, Callum, attends another special school, The Grange, in Rusholme.

She said: "Ewing has been so vital for Connor’s development. At his primary school, St Bernard’s in Burnage, he achieved no levels at all in his subjects.

"He has been at Ewing for 18 months and is now at level 4 or 5 in several subjects, an amazing advance. It has become his lifeline. They will either put him back into a mainstream school, where I think he will suffer and become more isolated, or send him to Grange. But The Grange, which Callum attends, deals with pupils with different problems than Connor. Connor and Callum are like chalk and cheese.

"All I, and other parents are asking for, is our right to see our children have the education they deserve."

She said parents were now waiting for the formal proposals from the city council on special school closures and dispersal of pupils before making their next move.

They have been backed by Withington MP John Leech who hopes to force a debate on special school closures and raise the Ewing case as part of the campaign to keep the 68-pupil school open. Lib Dem MP Mr Leech recently spoke in favour of an autism bill before the Commons, which is opposed by the government.

The bill calls for more information about people with autism and their needs, especially in later life.

After the debate Mr Leech said: "Parents are not having their voices listened to on this important issue.

"Autism is just one of the issues dealt with at schools such as Ewing and shutting them down will do nothing to help plan service to improve provision."

The council’s proposals would see a shake up special needs provision for several schools. Ewing’s 68 pupils would be moved to mainstream schools or The Grange.

The secondary school-age children from Lancasterian School on Elizabeth Slinger Road - which caters for children with physical difficulties - would also be moved, leaving around 45 primary age children on site.

The council’s executive member for children’s services, Sheila Newman, has previously said: "All points of view will be listened to and taken into account before any final decisions are taken."

She added: "The proposals being developed at the moment represent a real chance to transform not just the way special educational needs are met in the city, but also to actually really transform and make a difference to the day-to-day lives of many children and their families. More children and young people would be able to have their needs met in mainstream schools.

"As well as brand new school buildings with state of the art facilities, they could mean an end to the very early starts and late finishes for instance that some pupils and their families have to deal with if their child is currently transported across the city to school each day.

"Also, importantly, they could provide some much needed, and often asked for, respite for families and children living with autism."

Source: http://www.southmanchesterreporter.c...utism_lifeline

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