Autistic Birmingham boy's parents spend £60 a day on taxis

The parents of an autistic four-year-old boy are spending £60 a day on taxis to get him to his special school, after their application for specialist transport was rejected.

Ellie and Matthew's son Frank was given a place at a school about six miles from their home.

Matthew said: "We feel like we've finally got him into the right school for him to really prosper, and just like that it's been ripped away from him."

Birmingham City Council said four-year-olds starting school were not eligible for specialist transport until the term after their fifth birthday.

Merstone School in Solihull was the only setting that could meet the needs outlined in Frank's Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

Ellie and Matthew, who cannot drive, were left with no option but to escort Frank to and from school in a taxi, with four daily journeys from their Acock's Green home costing at least £60, or £300 per week.

Birmingham City Council has offered the family a personal transport budget of £340 per year.

Matthew said he and Ellie were "getting no sleep whatsoever," adding: "We can't sustain £1,000 a month."

He said that "the majority" of Frank's classmates were able to take a minibus to school because they fell under Solihull Council's transport policy, which covers all reception class pupils, regardless of their age.

The family said they would have to consider taking their son out of school until next September, unless their appeal against the lack of transport provision was upheld.

Matthew said: "If Frank was a neurotypical child, his school would be a 15-minute walk away, if that. We don't get that option. It's disgusting that the council is punishing the most vulnerable children because of their mismanagement."

In Birmingham, four-year-olds are considered pre-schoolers, even if they are starting reception class.

A spokesperson for Birmingham City Council said: “Pre-school transport is something that local authorities have no compulsory duty to provide and is typically a reduced offer when compared to 5-15 compulsory school aged transport."

The Labour-run authority added: "It is at the discretion of individual councils and would usually be in the form of personal transport budgets, as it is better that a parent can be supported to accompany a child of such a young age where possible.”

Several other parents have told the BBC their four-year-olds with special educational needs and disabilities have been denied transport.

Laura Crick said: "My boy has recently started a special school, we have been refused transport because he is four. I have a daughter in mainstream school whose start/finish time is the same. I have no way of getting them both to school and working."

Last week, parents of sixth form students with SEND told the BBC they had also lost their home-to-school transport, as part of budget cuts for 16-19 year olds.

A senior education leader told the BBC up to 50% of sixth form students with special educational needs in Birmingham were not in full time education because of cuts to the home-to-school transport service.