Parents of autistic children are in dispute with the council over the school run

PARENTS of children diagnosed with severe forms of autism are locked in an “unnecessary and exhausting” dispute with the council over the school run/

Five children from the Maiden Lane estate get picked up and dropped off by the Camden Accessible Transport Service (CATS) in York Way or across the road. The parents say the hustle and bustle of the busy road aggravates their conditions, making them upset.

Since last year they have been asking for a pick-up point to be moved onto the estate – but despite formal complaints and endless emails, the council has not been able to meet the demands.

The parents have been told the school bus is too big to go into the estate and the change would be an unacceptable delay to the Swiss Cottage Special School school run.

Sophie Segal, who lives in the estate, said: “There are five families here that feel the same way. My son has sensory processing difficulties. He cannot tolerate horrible noise. That road is horrible, congested, noisy – yuk! – and I’m neuro-typical.

“When I bring him to the road and it really affects him – he starts trying to shut stuff down. In the estate it is really quiet, peaceful. It would make such a difference if they did this. But the whole thing has got hostile, and they are being difficult. “It has created an atmosphere and the trouble is now we don’t really trust them that they are safeguarding our children.”

In a sentiment echoed by the other families, Ms Segal said it was hard enough working being a parent of a severely disabled child without having to fight lengthy battles with the council over the school run. The council said it had met with the families and was hoping to resolve the dispute.

A Camden Council spokesperson said: “Potential pedestrian safety issues and difficulties reversing a large bus out of the estate led the council to look for an alternative pick-up point that would meet the needs of families on Maiden Lane while addressing these issues. These alternatives are in development and we are working with families to discuss them.”