Autism boy’s £80-a-week school run

The family of a boy with autism say they are having to spend £80 a week just to get him to school. Jack Toms, from Briton Ferry, was diagnosed with autism when he was four. He is now 16 and attends Heronsbridge Special School, in Bridgend.

He used to travel there on a school bus, but his parents took him off it as it would not stop for toilet breaks or allow Jack to eat on board, both of which left him upset.

Jack’s parents now take him to school by car.

But they said they received no help with fuel expenses, despite claiming Neath Port Talbot Council do provide help to some other families in similar circumstances.

The council has said it cannot comment on the specific case, but that it acts in line with its policies on home-toschool transport.

Stephen Toms, Jack’s father, said: “If I was happy to put my son back on the bus I’d do it. I wouldn’t have gone on so long but they haven’t considered my son’s wellbeing and I will fight that until the day I die.”

He said Jack’s autism means that he depends heavily on routine.

It also means he doesn’t communicate in the same way as others. Jack also suffers with toilet issues, having to go very regularly, and has an eating disorder.

Jack’s mother, Beverley, said that when he travelled to school by bus he was sometimes late arriving, which made things worse.

“He was making himself sick,” she said. “He was getting so upset at being late for lessons. Sometimes he’d have to sit out of whole swimming lessons because of the bus.”

Mr Toms added: “He wasn’t able to vocalise his distress, but just because he couldn’t complain doesn’t mean we didn’t listen.”

A spokeswoman for the council said: “Whilst it is not appropriate for us to comment on the detail of individual cases, the local authority continues to offer free home-to-school transport in accordance with agreed policy.”