Family of deaf and disabled Bexhill girl campaigning to improve her education provision

Niamh Jackson,12, is deaf and was born with a life-threatening heart defect.

She also has Noonan Syndrome and has to cope with developmental learning difficulties within the autistic spectrum.

As a result of her disabilities Niamh attends Hamilton Lodge School and College in Brighton which supports deaf and disabled children.

Niamh spends up to three hours a day travelling to and from school in a taxi provided by the local authority.

Her parents Paul and Caroline urged the council to consider funding Niamh as a day/night resident in lodgings close to the school so she could avoid the relentless daily journeys, but this was denied.

After losing a recent legal battle against the local authority, they are now appealing the decision and going directly to the Department for Education.

They have also turned to the public via GoFundMe in an attempt to raise as much money as they can to cover the cost of residence for Niamh.

Paul said: “Our intention for Niamh would be to stay at school four nights a week and to cut out all of the exhausting journeys.”

Paul also said that Niamh has been refusing to go school for ‘quite a while’ because of the daily exhaustion. It has become impossible for her to cope with the demands of the school week because of the long journeys, he said.

The taxi service, provided by the local authority, picks Niamh up at her home in Bexhill at 7am and returns her home at approximately 5.15pm each day. The journey times often exceed the guidelines of 75 minutes each way – set by the Department for Education – because of bad traffic.

Paul said: “No child let alone one with disabilities should have to endure that amount of time travelling to and from school on a daily basis. It’s a disgrace.”

An East Sussex County Council spokesman said: “Decisions on school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities are made in line with the council’s policy, taking into account how best a child’s needs can be met and with consideration on how best we can use the limited public resources.”

So far, thanks to friends and family, Paul and Caroline have managed to raise £3,245 via Go Find Me but need close to £150,000 for their daughter Niamh to attend as a day/night resident up to the age of 19.

Next May, Paul is planning to walk 100 miles from Winchester to Eastbourne as part of the South Downs Way Challenge – in order to raise further funds.

To donate to their cause, click here.