'My boy could be left trapped at home with no way of getting to school - I'm terrified'
05.11.2023 - 09:05
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
A mum fears her disabled son will be left without an education with no way of getting to school. Charlie Andrews was born with spina bifida, meaning he is paralysed from the waist down and relies on accessible bus to take him to his school.
But the special service which transported him to school was terminated earlier this year due to a national driver shortage - leaving him unable to attend classes properly for weeks.
Charlie’s mum, Stacey Andrews, says problems with his transport started at the beginning of the school year in September 2022.
READ MORE: 'The beautician's advice was complete BS. I learned that the hard way'
READ MORE: ‘I’ve saved £26k buying everything for my kids second hand - including nappies’
Driver sickness meant the eight-year-old's special vehicle frequently failed to show up, often seeing him attend lessons just two times a week.
When the service was cancelled completely on March 2, Charlie’s school, who Stacey says have been 'brilliant', stepped in and paid for an accessible taxi to take Charlie to school every day. But Stacey fears the funding will run out at any moment – leaving the youngster without an education.
Stacey has been offered £1,312 from her local authority for a full academic year to support Charlie’s travel arrangements – however with the transport costing £24 a day, she says this funding isn’t enough.
Unable to drive, full-time carer Stacey has no way of taking wheelchair user Charlie to school herself, which is four miles away from their home just outside Bury town centre.
Stacey now fears for Charlie’s future development with the threat of missing out on his education and social time with his peers.
"It’s horrendous, I’m sick of it. It’s so unfair," the 39-year-old