Gideon Amos

It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Dr Huq, and a privilege to speak on behalf of the 204 people in the Taunton and Wellington constituency who signed the petition and all the other families who are deeply concerned. It is not abstract for me, because of the support my wife gives to many families who have children with special needs, including in our own home. From my experiences with my own children and from my surgeries, I know the regular trials, the pain and the often extreme debilitating stress that families go through trying to get a basic, decent education for their children. Parents are driven to the very edge by a system that they have had to battle through every step of the way. It should not be like this. Let me tell the House about Luke, a bright, motivated young man. Luke loves school and has high hopes for his career, but he needs help to get there. His parents now have to provide two-to-one transport support just to get him to and from school. Juggling in that way has resulted in Luke being more dangerous, lashing out on transport while travelling. His parents are working, paying taxes and, in short, doing everything that society asks of them, as well as caring for Luke with extraordinary dedication all the time when he is not at school, but how are they supposed to work and hold down full-time jobs while being denied the transport that they need for Luke? Every day that his education, health and care plan fails to be delivered takes him a step closer to full residential care, at hugely greater human and financial cost to everyone involved.