Amanda Fleming, whose son Miles, 12, suffers from autism and ADHD, says parents are being forced to leave jobs to fill gaps left by the system.
She blames a long-running lack of investment in additional support schools across the city for pushing parents and services to breaking point.
The 44-year-old said: “This failure is creating a generation of autistic children who are not getting a proper education. Parents are having to give up jobs so their child doesn’t fall behind. I know of plenty of mums and dads who are being forced to pick up the slack, which is unfair.”
Families are now calling on Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Government to fund more specialist schools and employ additional learning support workers to cope with demand.
Amanda Fleming at home in Ruchill. (Image: Robert Perry)
Amanda, from Ruchill, added: “It should be the responsibility of those in power to make sure Glasgow’s young have the education they are entitled to, not their parents.
“I know of many families who are being pushed towards financial hardship because they are unable to work full time due to the fact their kids are unable to settle in a classroom for a full day, despite the excellent ongoing one-to-one support that exists at Miles’s school.
“In our case we have an agreement with the teaching staff that Miles can come home if he feels that things are getting too much. Sometimes he can be at school from 9am until noon depending on his needs, while some days it can be for as little as an hour. We recognise that we are fortunate in that he has a specifically tailored ASN placement, but sadly that’s not the case for everyone.
“Every day is different depending on if he feels unsettled or reaches autistic burnout. It’s impossible to know as he can become easily overwhelmed at times, but it makes holding down a full-time job impossible as I must be there whenever Miles needs me.”
Amanda, also mum to nine-year-old Elliott – who also has autism – says that that parents also find the process of securing a placement at an ASN school ‘exhausting’ as there’s simply not enough across the city.
Miles attends an ASN unit within Cleveden Secondary School and Elliott attends Dunard Primary, both in Glasgow’s West End.
Amanda Fleming at home in Ruchill with her two sons, Miles(12 )and Elliott (9). (Image: Robert Perry)
Amanda said: “The teaching staff at both schools are fantastic, I can’t praise them highly enough. They do an incredible job under tough circumstances. Autism is very different for every child and that’s why it’s so important to have the right support – and most importantly, enough of it.”
Amanda told how it took several years for her children to be diagnosed and says waiting lists for assessments need to be looked at.
She added: “Personally I feel that some kids are being set up to fail because they are being put into a mainstream environment they can’t cope with and find it overwhelming.
“Everything feels like a fight and the process of getting into an ASN school is draining. Your child must have an autism diagnosis, which can often take years unless you can afford to go down the private route. Then you need to fight for the right school and know your legal rights in case you are forced to take the council to a tribunal, all the while continuing to ensure their educational needs are being met.
“Many parents I speak to feel worn out. We need to see change now or we face a crisis with kids who won’t have the education to hold down jobs when they are older.”
We previously told how the number of parents going to tribunals to fight for places in Glasgow’s ASN schools has jumped from six in 2019 to 103.
The most significant increases have taken place over the past two years, and a lack of space has been highlighted as the biggest concern.
Amanda blames an historic lack of investment in dedicated ASN schools cross the city as the reason for things reaching crisis point.
Amanda Fleming at home in Ruchill with her two sons, Miles(12 )and Elliott (9) (Image: Robert Perry)
She added: “I worry sick about my children’s future and many parents are in the same boat, having to home school their kids or spend time teaching them if they have an agreement to come home if the school day becomes too overwhelming.
“As parents we have to wear so many hats, but we do it because we don’t want to see our kids fall between the cracks in the system. There’s got to be real change as we face a growing mental health crisis and a generation of children growing up without the education they deserve.”
A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: “We would urge Ms Fleming to contact the school to discuss any concerns with school staff as we understand they have built up a supportive relationship and regularly communicate.
“There has been an agreed support plan in place since the start of the school year in August, which is reviewed and updated depending on the young person’s needs.
“Within the co-located specialist provision at the school, the young person receives tailored support and only leaves during the school day when agreed with his mum and to meet the needs of the pupil.
“Our school staff are committed to meeting the needs of all young people, despite the high increases in the number of young people presenting with ASN across the city and widely reported.”
