BEVERLEY COHEN

LIORA, MY beautiful little disabled daughter, launched me into media stardom last week. I was on Radio 4’s Today Programme, in the Guardian and on BBC South East news, speaking about life under lockdown with Liora. My main message was a sense of being forgotten, even though the Government announced early on that all children with an Education and Health Care Plan could have access to school at this time. Liora has an EHCP as she has epilepsy, a chronic kidney condition and autism, but there is no question of her or her classmates going to their special-needs school.

I found the Government’s message glib. Clearly there is ignorance at the highest levels about children with complex needs.

Many of the pupils, like Liora, don’t have language, they can’t speak or understand more than simple words such as ‘‘food’’, ‘‘drink’’, ‘‘toilet’’. The majority have saliva issues; they dribble and wipe their mouths on any available person or surface. They don’t know how to wipe their noses, they are not able to wash their hands without help — and often resist it. They don’t know how to social distance, they don’t know anything about the pandemic.

Many are also violent to parents and teachers and they are not able to stop biting, punching and kicking. Liora is not violent to others, but she is to herself, banging her own head with her fists when in pain or frustrated. She needs close physical contact at all times to be cared for properly.

These kids often have fragile health and like Liora are under the care of Great Ormond Street Hospital. Coronavirus could kill them.

So how on earth can parents like Liora’s dad, Rahul, and I, send our precious angel to school — despite the Government’s announcement. It’s a blind spot.

The sense of being forgotten,