Bullying - Story 6

(This is a story related over the telephone to one of the EO Helpline Volunteers - permission to use it was gained from the parent.)

I'll use names as it will clarify info for later: JF in L has a 13 year old son who suffered leukemia soon after birth and developed dyspraxia. Had statement at primary school and made good progress with the SENCO teacher to whom he responded very well. The primary school however was a bad experience for him as he was bullied for his "difference".

Between Junior and Secondary school they lost his Statement paperwork and he arrived at Year 7 in high school with no statement. They have not got any records from the primary school as it was all lost and some of it never seen by the parent anyway. This included the Educational Psychologiest's report for the original statement. During the two years in High School he has been consistently harrassed by teachers and children. He was given detentions for being clumsy (he forgets things easily as part of his illness). He was not allowed to go on a school outing he was really looking forward to "as the form wasn't there at the right time". The SENCO person at High School has had no real input as his paperwork was never sorted out. His work has gone almost back to nothing.

The head of High School has accepted deregisteration as parent is now determined to work at home. But the SEN teacher has been awful in the mother's words, "She accused me of making him "a sad lonely boy with psychological problems" if I remove him from school".

He has been continually bullied by staff and children all his school life. At high school he has had no help with stairs - they (LEA?) talked about finding a school without stairs but nothing ever happened. As he gets older his mum is very anxious about him not being able to cope with life after school years.

Another example of all the agencies not working together. This child is constantly checked by the cancer clinic. The dyspraxia is fairly severe (from her descriptions) and there has been no help for him.