'Cheap' care offer angers mother
Wednesday, November 09, 2005 (11:57:01)

Posted by sylvia

BBC September 2005

The mother of a boy with special needs says social services tried to take away her son after they refused to offer him a place at a special school. Curtis Thurland, who has a form of autism, has been refused the special education experts feel he needs.

His mother, Mandy Thurland, who has the support of her MP in Luton, fears councils are choosing care provision over education because it is cheaper.

On Tuesday Luton Borough Council said Curtis's needs were being reassessed.

The boy's eccentric and unpredictable behaviour has put him and others in danger.

He was in hospital for two days after being attacked by another boy and he has physically taken out his frustration on his mother.

For years Mrs Thurland fought to have her son's condition diagnosed and when it was confirmed he had Asperger's Syndrome she thought the right support would come through.

But there was to be no specialist education and she said a social worker then asked her to sign a form for Curtis to go into care.

"I said how it this going to solve his educational needs? He needs an education. He needs help with his disability. I said how is putting him into care going to solve this?

"I am so angry that they would do this to families. It seems that because of money they are putting a vulnerable child with a disability out of his home."

Child psychiatrists and the local MP, Kevin Hopkins, have all written to Luton Borough Council urging them to give Curtis greater support.

Mr Hopkins said Curtis needed a residential specialist education in an institution which specialised in Asperger's Syndrome and similar conditions with their associated behavioural problems - not being taken into care.

Home tuition

Educational psychologist Allan Willis said taking the boy into care would be potentially counter-productive and an inappropriate response in this case.

On Tuesday a statement issued by the council said there were no plans to take Curtis into care.

"We are doing our very best to meet Curtis's educational needs, which are currently being reassessed.

"As an interim measure we have offered home tuition from a highly qualified tutor with substantial experience of working with children with the specific special needs Curtis has.

"As with all children, our aim is to support the family in caring for Curtis at home. We have no plans to take him into care."