AGXStarseed
Well-Known Member
(Not written by me)
'HE'S NOT SAFE THERE': Mum’s fury after her severely autistic son, 9, managed to escape from school at lunchtime and walk the 10 minute journey home across several roads
The youngster, who attends a mainstream school, was able to crawl under a locked gate while the kids were playing outside after lunch
A MUM has removed her child from school after he managed to escape from the playground at lunchtime and walk home alone across three roads.
Lisa Smith’s son, Lewis, has severe autism and a fascination with cars – Lisa constantly fears for his safety near roads.
But he managed to crawl under a locked gate while children were playing outside at lunch at the mainstream school he attends.
It took 10 minutes for his school friends to tell teachers they had seen him leaving Bilsthorpe Flying High Academy in Newark, Nottinghamshire.
He was eventually found half an hour later bouncing on the trampoline in his back garden.
Full-time carer Mrs Smith, 34, said: “The thought of him walking along and across the roads home scares me to death.
“Lewis has a fascination with cars and quite often likes to look at them in great detail. How he got home on his own I do not know.”
This map shows the route taken by Lewis when he escaped from school and walked home
Now Lisa, also mum to Brandon, 11, has removed Lewis from the school until she has assurances that he will be safe.
Lisa got a phone call from the school last Wednesday saying Lewis had left the school.
She said she had to put pressure on the school to get the police involved, as she was away from home at the time, shopping in Mansfield.
The academy denies staff mishandled the situation, saying police were alerted and staff were sent to look for Lewis without prompting from Lewis’ mother.
But Lisa said: “They told me he had been missing for 15 minutes and when I asked them to call the police they were reluctant.
“I raised my voice and shouted ‘call the police’. I was in a panic.
“I was shopping in town and collapsed because I was so worried.”
“I was physically sick with worry. I told the teachers to look at my home and one of the teachers found him there.
“It was horrifying. I don’t know what’s going on at that school, but they’re not providing what he really needs.
“Lewis is autistic and he’s effectively got the mind of a three-year-old and can’t be left on his own, but he’s always been in mainstream schools.
“I’m not letting my son back to that school, he’s not safe there.”
Louise Brimble of the Flying High Trust said: “At approximately 12.25pm two boys reported to a lunchtime supervisor that they had seen a boy go under the gate and run to the drive then disappear.
“The office was informed to ring Lewis’s mum and if there was no answer or Lewis was not at home, to ring the police immediately on 999, which was done.
“The office did speak to mum but she was not currently at home.
“At the same time, two teachers were dispatched on foot and two more in cars to look for the pupil.
“They confirmed Lewis was later found by teachers on his trampoline at home.”
The family say they intend to make a complaint about the incident to Ofsted.
SOURCE: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/18243...-10-minute-journey-home-across-several-roads/
'HE'S NOT SAFE THERE': Mum’s fury after her severely autistic son, 9, managed to escape from school at lunchtime and walk the 10 minute journey home across several roads
The youngster, who attends a mainstream school, was able to crawl under a locked gate while the kids were playing outside after lunch
A MUM has removed her child from school after he managed to escape from the playground at lunchtime and walk home alone across three roads.
Lisa Smith’s son, Lewis, has severe autism and a fascination with cars – Lisa constantly fears for his safety near roads.
But he managed to crawl under a locked gate while children were playing outside at lunch at the mainstream school he attends.
It took 10 minutes for his school friends to tell teachers they had seen him leaving Bilsthorpe Flying High Academy in Newark, Nottinghamshire.
He was eventually found half an hour later bouncing on the trampoline in his back garden.
Full-time carer Mrs Smith, 34, said: “The thought of him walking along and across the roads home scares me to death.
“Lewis has a fascination with cars and quite often likes to look at them in great detail. How he got home on his own I do not know.”
This map shows the route taken by Lewis when he escaped from school and walked home
Now Lisa, also mum to Brandon, 11, has removed Lewis from the school until she has assurances that he will be safe.
Lisa got a phone call from the school last Wednesday saying Lewis had left the school.
She said she had to put pressure on the school to get the police involved, as she was away from home at the time, shopping in Mansfield.
The academy denies staff mishandled the situation, saying police were alerted and staff were sent to look for Lewis without prompting from Lewis’ mother.
But Lisa said: “They told me he had been missing for 15 minutes and when I asked them to call the police they were reluctant.
“I raised my voice and shouted ‘call the police’. I was in a panic.
“I was shopping in town and collapsed because I was so worried.”
“I was physically sick with worry. I told the teachers to look at my home and one of the teachers found him there.
“It was horrifying. I don’t know what’s going on at that school, but they’re not providing what he really needs.
“Lewis is autistic and he’s effectively got the mind of a three-year-old and can’t be left on his own, but he’s always been in mainstream schools.
“I’m not letting my son back to that school, he’s not safe there.”
Louise Brimble of the Flying High Trust said: “At approximately 12.25pm two boys reported to a lunchtime supervisor that they had seen a boy go under the gate and run to the drive then disappear.
“The office was informed to ring Lewis’s mum and if there was no answer or Lewis was not at home, to ring the police immediately on 999, which was done.
“The office did speak to mum but she was not currently at home.
“At the same time, two teachers were dispatched on foot and two more in cars to look for the pupil.
“They confirmed Lewis was later found by teachers on his trampoline at home.”
The family say they intend to make a complaint about the incident to Ofsted.
SOURCE: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/18243...-10-minute-journey-home-across-several-roads/
