Parents who feel the needs of their neurodiverse children aren’t being listened to by Cornwall Council protested outside County Hall in Truro.

The experience of one mum in particular led to the rally by around 50 parents of SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) children on Tuesday, January 21 before the monthly meeting of the council.

Jenna Tyack, of Shortlanesend, says she has been left at the end of her tether after her daughter was enrolled in a new specialist school, Cardrew Court School in Redruth, which didn’t suit her complex needs.

Similar has happened to other pupils, whose families attended the protest. They all argue that the education provided at Cardrew Court did not match the original curriculum policies they were promised and didn’t meet their children’s individual needs.

Jenna, Sarah Robertson and Hayley Welsh say that Education Otherwise Than At School (EOTAS) packages their autistic daughters had previously received were much more successful – and much cheaper for the council to provide.

“The pressure that the government and councils are putting on parents for attendance is hypocritical when they can’t provide a suitable education for autistic children and they think it’s okay,” said Jenna whose daughter Daisy has autism, ADHD and idiopathic intracranial hypertension (a disorder related to high pressure in the brain).

Speaking the day before the rally as the mums were preparing the last few placards at her home, Jenna said: “The local authority put her on a programme called EOTAS, which was incredible – everything was bespoke and she thrived in everything to the point where a lot of her medication could be halved.

“Then she was given a place in Cardrew Court. We weren’t involved in the placement and didn’t get to meet the head initially. We didn’t have a choice.”

She said the school’s curriculum changed from saying it would be tailored to Daisy’s needs to being very regimented, which many neurodiverse children can’t cope with. “Daisy looked at me and said ‘Please mum, don’t send me back’.”

Daisy herself explains: “I was happy last year with my education and I wish the council and school would listen to me. Why do I feel ignored when they’re talking about what’s best for me?

“I want to learn with my tutor, I want to have a good education but I can’t do that in school. It makes me feel sad, panicked and they never stick to what they say they’ll do to support me. I don’t want to be a pain, but I want to be able to learn.”

Jenna added: “A group of three of us were given notice before Christmas, then last week we were told that that notice was being paused and that our children would have to return to Cardrew Court even though it caused a load of trauma and we know it didn’t work.

“All three of us got together and said ‘this has to stop’. We decided we needed to make a stand and organised the rally. I didn’t think it would blow up as much as it has. There are a lot of unhappy parents in Cornwall.

“Most of the parents at the rally either want an EOTAS package or a suitable school placement. But there are not enough spaces and not enough specialist schools.”

She hopes the protest will have an effect for parents like her and, more importantly, their children. “If we can get Daisy back to her learning and engaging in subjects and topics that are going to be useful for her career, that’s all I can ask for.”

Sarah, from Porthtowan, has found herself in a similar position with her neurodivergent daughter Freya, 12. She took the local authority to an education tribunal and Freya was awarded an EOTAS package in April 2024.

“She absolutely thrived on that,” said Sarah. The package saw Freya receiving a mixture of tutors at home, a personal assistant and alternative provision outside the home with peer support and socialising.

She said that Cornwall Council then decided to send Freya to the Cardrew Court School but it was never right for her daughter, who has been unable to attend. “The local authority put a lot of pressure on me and Freya to attend and then headed down the prosecution route for non-attendance.

“She was off-rolled and I’m now privately funding what she had last year. The gaslighting and harassment I’ve received is enough to push people over the edge. I would really like Freya to get what she needs, what she’s entitled to and what will make her thrive. I want to see the other children get what they deserve without the parents having to go through this eternal fight.”

Hayley, from Truro, has also been told her 15-year-old daughter Ellise will now have to return to Cardrew Court, despite the school initially issuing a termination notice. She said: “When the children are doing well on their package that’s when the providers step in and say ‘let’s transition them back to school’, but it’s because they’re in the right environment that they’re doing well. Take away that environment and they’ll get worse again.

“Ellise started at the school in September and it’s just not what was promised on paper by the local authority or the school. There’s no sensory equipment, there’s no apparatus in the field. Even the minimal things you would get in a mainstream school are not at this school, which comes under the umbrella of being a specialist school.”

She added: “I hope the rally will show how strong our community is. We talk to each other as you don’t get a handbook when you’re told you have a SEND child. It’s all investigation by yourself – I feel like I’ve taken a law degree in something that I never signed up for.”

A spokesperson for the local authority said: “Cornwall Council has worked with partners to introduce a range of interventions to support children and young people with autism. This includes a new school which opened last year specifically aimed at supporting neurodivergent children who are anxious, particularly in relation to participation at school. Oftsed inspectors have commended its curriculum.

“Under the Children and Families Act 2014, Education Otherwise Than At School (EOTAS) packages are only offered once all other options have been explored. Decisions to offer them are made by local authorities and are not based on requests or preferences from parents and carers.

“When a new provision becomes available that we identify as suitable (or is named by a tribunal), we have a statutory duty to place that young person in the setting. These decisions are not based on cost.

“We recognise that any transition from an EOTAS provision to a school setting can be difficult and we always work closely with the children, families and school to overcome any challenges. We also continue to review the suitability of placements as they progress.

“We continue to work hard on improving SEND provision in Cornwall and a second new independent specialist school will be opening in 2025 in Gunnislake.”

Cardrew Court School, and the Special Partnership Trust which runs it, have been contacted for a response to the parents’ comments.