An Aberdeen dad whose autistic son has been without a school since March has accused the city council of depriving his child of an education.
John Cameron’s 13-year-old son Callum was excluded from Orchard Brae, a special school, 11 weeks ago. John says he was told the school ‘couldn’t cope with him’, citing repeated attempts to escape from school premises.
Callum was instead offered a place at Bucksburn Academy, which as a mainstream school, would be out of the question according to John.
“Callum has autism, ADHD and epilepsy.
“If Orchard Brae, a special school, can’t cope with him, I don’t see how a mainstream school will be able to. He wouldn’t cope in a mainstream school and they wouldn’t cope with him.”
Callum can be a handful, but that’s council’s problem, says dad
He is particularly perturbed at his son’s exclusion from Orchard Brae, as he said Callum had attended Mile End School throughout his primary education, and that Mile End hadn’t had any issues with him.
John acknowledges that Callum has since grown into a ‘big, strong lad’ and can be a handful for staff. But he says this is for the council to plan around.
He wants Callum put in either Camphill or Linn Moor – according to John the only schools suitable for him.
He argues it is up to the council to find Callum a place in education, which he says they have failed to do. With the summer holidays approaching, he says Callum risks having irreparable damage done to his education and long-term prospects.
The only schooling Callum has received since March is three hours’ outreach a week from a voluntary teacher.
John says that social workers who have visited have said that the situation is simply at ‘stalemate’.
Single parenthood pressures with Callum stuck at home
But John says Callum needs round-the-clock care, and without him being in education, as a single parent he is left with an enormous burden.
Callum’s twin brother Aiden – a pupil at Hazlehead Academy – also has autism and ADHD, albeit less severe, and John says the burden of Callum being stuck at home for so long is becoming intolerable.
John was forced to give up work given the care both boys need. He previously worked with machinery but found it wasn’t compatible with sleepless nights.
John’s situation is a stark reminder of just how relentless some people’s lives can be, with the additional needs his sons have, and no-one else around to help.
He said: “Folk ask me whether I miss work. And I say ‘oh, I miss work alright, it was a lot easier.’
“I worked with machinery and it just wasn’t feasible. I never know if I’m going to get any sleep or not.
“You’re constantly on alert, you never switch off. When I do get to sleep, the slightest noise and I’m up checking on them.
“Your emotions just switch off, you go into robot mode. It’s not until you sit down and think about things and you think, ‘I’m done in.'”
Autistic pupils the ‘forgotten children’ of education system
And with Callum having been at home since early spring, and the summer holidays almost upon us, John is in need of a break. Something which he says the council are doing nothing to help with.
An Aberdeen City Council spokeswoman said: “Children and young people with additional support needs (ASN) are given an individualised curriculum within Aberdeen City Council’s Education specialist provision in a variety of environments including ASN facilities within city schools and at specialist education centres.”
In a special P&J investigation last year, we spoke to several families with autistic children across the north-east. Like John, they had had to fight simply to secure an education for their child.
In 2021-22 alone, 24 families in the region took legal action to get their kids into school.
The families said the figure shows autistic pupils are the ‘forgotten children’ of the education system.
Conversation