My girl hasn’t been to school for three years
Mother claims council has failed to find Layla, 10, a suitable place
THE mother of a 10-year-old girl clams her daughter has been out of school for nearly three years - because the council can’t find her a suitable spot.
Lisa Riley, from Bury, says her child has been without regular education since she was expelled from a school in Rochdale in year three.
Layla Fielding, who has special education needs, would run out of the school when she felt overwhelmed.
And the lack of classroom time has had a ‘devastating’ effect on her and her family.
Her mother said she also has ADHD, sensory processing disorder and anxiety - but added her needs ‘aren’t particularly unusual’.
But she does not believe this is enough to stop her attending a ‘normal school’ - and has hit out at Bury Council for ‘failing’ to find her a suitable spot.
“We’re at a stage where I feel like I’ve got to shout out to get heard for my little girl,” Lisa Riley said.
It has been three years since Layla has had any regular classroom time - although Bury Council told the Observer she has been enrolled at a school during that time.
Layla’s mother has disputed this, and says it is not the case.
In that time Lisa says she has had to give up work to stay at home with her daughter - who has been struggling with loneliness.
“I think I’ve missed out on a lot by not going to school.
“I’ve been missing out on learning, socialising and everything like that,” Layla said.
“I feel like I haven’t got any friends now and I feel lonely sometimes,” she told her mum.
Layla did attend St. Joseph & St.bede’s for a few weeks in the January after she was excluded from a school in Rochdale.
But her mother says her ‘flight or fight response’ was triggered - and she once again managed to escape the school grounds.
Lisa added: “It was the same scenario, Layla couldn’t cope.”
Layla now sees an alternative education provider, but this is only for three two hours sessions a week, and Lisa said it is ‘no substitute for the formal education her daughter deserves’.
She fears that Layla, who she says is bright and intelligent, is years behind in her learning - especially as she should be set to start secondary school in September.
With the right support in place, and with staff made aware of Layla’s sensory issues, Lisa believes she’d be ‘ more than capable’ of having a formal education in a normal school.
She said: “Almost three years in, we need a suitable place for Layla to attend.
“And it’s not just the academic life and learning, it’s the social, the emotional, making friends, feeling part of a group and community that Layla is missing out on and has missed out on.
“And really I just find it staggering to think the council can’t accommodate or find one single place to suit Layla.
“My daughter deserves better than the council are delivering for her.”
Bury Council said Layla has had a school place for the past three years - although it had been deemed unsuitable by her mother.
A spokesperson said: “We always strive to ensure that all children, whatever their circumstances, are provided with the education that is most appropriate for them and in the right setting.
“We have worked extensively with Ms Riley over many months to find the solution that is best for her and her daughter. At all times Layla has had a school place.
“Following her exclusion, a place for Layla was provided at a primary school in Bury in 2019.
“To support her successful reintegration into school a plan was agreed with a part-time in school and with specialist parttime provision off-site, however as this broke down the school moved to providing full-time offsite provision.
“In January 2020, the council agreed to fund full-time provision with an approved alternative provider to continue to work with Layla and reintegrate her back into her school environment.
“Her mainstream school found it challenging to meet Layla’s needs, but Ms Riley was of the view that a school had to be a mainstream school and special provision would not be considered.
“Unfortunately, this has delayed reaching an alternative arrangement for Layla.
“Layla has a place at her primary school and is currently being provided with education offsite with an approved alternative provider as Layla has struggled to adapt to her school environment.
“We are consulting with a range of primary mainstream schools and considering specialist provision alongside these options in order to identify the most suitable setting for Layla.”
“My daughter deserves better than the council are delivering for her”