A MUM whose autistic son has not been to school for four months, has blasted education chiefs for ‘forgetting’ about him.

Maureen Smiley’s 12-year-old son, Jack Crosbie has not attended Garnock Campus since the beginning of the academic year, after struggling to cope with school.

The Dalry mum claims that Jack’s troubles at school escalated so badly that she witnessed staff and a campus cop “physically restraining” her boy, which, she says, left him with bruises.

She said: “At the worst point I went in and saw a male member of staff holding his legs down by the ankles while the campus police officer physically restrained him. They left bruises on his ankles.”

During that incident Maureen says Jack smashed five computer screens and she claims school staff told her she “may have to pay to replace them”.

Maureen, 47, says first-year-pupil Jack’s troubles began when he started secondary school in August.

She says because of his autism and ADHD, he simply could not cope with the £40million campus because it was “too big, too bright and too loud”.

The distraught mum decided to take Jack out of school after his sessions were cut from five days a week, to every other day, to just hours at a time and eventually, Maureen says she was having to attend school with him.

She told the Herald: “My son has severe difficulties. He started the new Garnock Campus and his behaviour really deteriorated. He was distressed every day and as a result he was being disruptive in class. At one point he put a bundle of drawing pins in his mouth and was trying to swallow them. He wrecked the classroom. He just could not cope with that school. It was too much. It’s too big, too bright and too loud for someone with Jack’s difficulties.

“Eventually they told me he would need to come in less and less until I had to sit next to him in the classroom. That just wasn’t feasible so in the end I took him out.

“That was the second week in August and now it’s almost Christmas and he hasn’t been back to school regularly since.” Maureen, of Stoopshill Crescent, says Jack has had one visit to Ardrossan Academy’s Astra-Base, which she says he loved. But she says education chiefs have left her hanging on for a decision on whether Jack will secure a full time place.

She said: “They are telling me it is the decision of the Inclusion Board but they won’t have a decision until January.

“It’s already been four months and Jack has missed all that time in his first year at secondary school. It’s very stressful for him and for me. He is in the house all the time and I have seen his confidence dropping all the time. We just want help for Jack.”

A spokesperson for North Ayrshire Council said: “While it would be inappropriate for us to comment on any individual, we know that the transition to secondary school for any pupil can be hard. It can be particularly difficult for children with autism. Our preferred option, and usually that of the parent/carer, would always be for the pupil to attend mainstream education with additional support in place.

“Every individual has different needs and we put in a package of support to reflect that. Our staff endeavour to make things work for all our young people.

“It is really important to find an environment each young person can manage and maintain. This can take time as a team of professionals must carry out thorough assessments to ensure the next move for the young person is the right one.”