Edinburgh parents struggling to cope plead for special schools to reopen

Claudia Romero Espinosa may not be the only Edinburgh mother wishing schools were open again – but she has special reason to hope for help as soon as possible. Her 11-year-old son Christian has complex needs and suffers uncontrollable seizures and Claudia says she cannot meet all his care needs.

Kirtsy Watt and daughter Eilidh

Christian also uses a wheelchair, is visually impaired and has respiratory problems. He is fed by tube, requires constant suction and needs an apnoea monitor during the night because sometimes he stops breathing.

Normally Christian attends Oaklands School in Ferry Road, but because of lockdown is now at home full-time. Claudia has two other boys, aged 14 and 15, to look after and her husband is working at home.

“I’m really struggling to do the physiotherapy, hydrotherapy and various sensory therapies that Christian needs and I feel I am unable to fully meet his care needs. These were previously done at the school and with another lockdown, everything has stopped with a huge impact on Christian’s engagement and progress.”

Maya James' son Dillan

She believes all special schools should be open, with precautions in place, and offering children full provision during lockdown.

Kindred, an advocacy organisation for parents of children with complex needs, is pressing the Scottish Government to reopen special schools to full time-placements who want to return.

It says in England, Wales and Northern Ireland special schools have remained open, whereas in Scotland there is a patchy picture, with some local authorities keeping all special schools open and others offering pupils a few days’ school each week or no provision at all.

Kindred director Sophie Pilgrim said: “We are really disappointed that special schools are not set to reopen. As a charity we have been speaking to parents of children with complex needs and they tell us that their children’s physical and mental health is degenerating because they are simply unable to maintain therapy and support within the home environment.

Claudia Romero Espinosa and son Christian

“The weather is now too cold for many parents to take children out. Added to a loss of routine, this has created further stress and anxiety for these children, often leading to challenging behaviour not seen before. Many parents in turn are sleep deprived and often neglecting their own medical and care needs.

“Special schools have a vital role to play, providing respite from care for parents, as well as therapy, education and social engagement for our most vulnerable children. Without these reopening we will pay a heavy price as a society.”

Single parent Kirsty Watt is another Edinburgh mum having to shoulder a huge extra burden because school has been cut back.

Her daughter Eilidh, 13, has learning disability and Autism Spectrum Disorder, as well as intractable epilepsy and can experience as many as 10 seizures a day, with her oxygen needing to be monitored. She is non-verbal, has balance and coordination problems and is tube-fed.

Each night Kirsty stays up until 11.30pm or 12 to ensure that Eilidh’s tube-feeding has been completed.

From being at Braidburn special school full time, which was a real godsend for the family, she is now at school in Edinburgh three days a week and has two night of respite care each week,

Kirsty said: “Being at school is very important for those with special needs as they have a routine and home learning has left Eilidh incredibly unsettled and her behaviour can become quite unsettled.”

And Maya James is struggling because her son, Dillan, 10, who goes to Prospect Bank School in Leith, is now attending school only two days a week because of lockdown.

She said with the loss of routine “his whole world has collapsed, he is very distressed and has become aggressive.”

Maya, who has two other children, says the family is not coping and there is nowhere to take the children.

A council spokeswoman said: “All special schools in Edinburgh are open. Our schools are keeping the provision of places under continual review and liaising closely with families to do so. The safety of our staff and pupils is of paramount importance and we continue to follow the Scottish Government and Health Protection Scotland guidelines as we all work to control levels of community transmission.

“If a parent has any questions about the availability of a place, we ask them to please contact the head teacher.”

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