Ross-on-Wye Mum Amanda Carter has had to fight many times to ensure her son Joseph gets the help he needs. Now she is facing a new battle as the family is faced with a £750 bill for his transport to Barrs Court School.

Joseph is autistic and he is very vulnerable, Amanda told the Ross Gazette that he has been in special education since he was four years old. Mrs Carter hopes that he will be able to spend the next three years at the Barrs Court Hub for 16-19 year olds where he will learn independent living skills.

She is hopeful that he will be able to develop his social skills and have some travel training. She said he is totally trusting and has no road sense, although he looks like other 16-year-olds his mother is concerned that strangers would not realise how vulnerable he is.

Joseph attended Black Marston School from the age of four, where he was given his statement of Special Educational Needs, and then went to Barrs Court. Until the age of 16 school transport is provided but now Joseph has reached his 16th birthday his family are responsible for paying £750 a year towards the cost of his transport.

Mrs Carter told the Ross Gazette that she feels that this is very unfair to families who live in rural areas. She said “We have no choice, if we want Joseph to have the support he needs to develop his independence. He cannot use a service bus and this is the only special needs school in Herefordshire.”

Ann, and her husband Graham, have two other children, Mark, who is older than Joseph and is working, and Bethany, who is younger than Joseph and is a pupil at John Kyrle High School. She said “It is stressful enough having a child like Joseph but this issue will make life more difficult, we are being penalised because we are in a rural area. We cannot send him anywhere closer.”

Mrs Carter has written to her MP Jesse Norman to bring this matter to his attention, but so far has not received a reply.

A Herefordshire Council spokesman told the Ross Gazette “A decision was taken by Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet on March 13th, 2014 to withdraw free transport for post 16 Special Educational Needs (SEN) students. This was replaced by a requirement that post 16 SEN students would pay the same amount towards the cost of transportation as all other post 16 students across the county. The current parental contribution for transport in 2016/17 is £750.

“For SEN students aged up to 16 years old, they continue to receive free transport unless they can safely walk to school.”

Mrs Carter added “I had to fight to get a ‘Buddy’ for Joe, and he really enjoys his time with his Buddy.”

She said Joseph loves travel and transport and recently he went on the train to Cardiff. She added “It was struggle to get a Buddy for him so I am used to fighting for Joseph and I will fight this.”