A desperate mum claims she has been forced to quit her job to care for her severely autistic five-year-old son after he was given a spot in a school she deems “unsafe” for his needs.
Charlotte Day’s non-verbal son Hudson Black has no sense of danger due to sensory processing disorder, ADHD and global developmental delay.
He also suffers from a sleep cycle disorder.
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Charlotte claims that her child has now missed eight months of vital specialist education due to Medway Council assigning him a place at an unsuitable school.
She says her son is “suffering and becoming increasingly dysregulated” while her own mental health crumbles under the strain of constant supervision – including wake-ups from 3am.
She has also had to leave her role at South East Coast Ambulance to become his full-time carer.
Hudson’s legally-binding Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) requires learning in a specialist setting, which Parkwood Primary School in Gillingham, Kent, says it is unable to provide.
“This situation is having a devastating effect on Hudson and our entire family,” Charlotte told Need To Know.
“The longer this continues, the more irreversible the damage becomes.
“Critically, the school itself has formally confirmed in writing that they cannot meet Hudson’s needs.
“He could be without appropriate education for years during the most critical period of his development.”
Despite the school confirming it cannot meet Hudson’s needs, the council has allegedly refused a swap.
The school also pointed to the lack of funding as to why it cannot tend to Hudson’s needs.
The school stated the cost for his place would be £20,663.60 for 38 weeks and claims a “lack of budget for OT [occupational therapy] and staffing” creates a barrier.
Despite the council acknowledging this, they stated that “refusal of placement cannot be based on funding”.
Charlotte said: “He should have started school in September 2025, but instead he has been at home with no education, no structure, and no support.
“This is not just a delay, this is a complete denial of education.”
The situation has forced Charlotte to quit her job, where she worked for over three years.
The mum-of-four said she was left with no option but to leave work, due to the 24/7 care her son requires.
Charlotte said: “I’ve gone from being in a busy working environment to having very little adult interaction, and I’ve had to put my career progression within the service on hold, which is something I had been working towards.
“Once Hudson is in a school that can safely meet his needs and I feel confident he is properly supported, I would absolutely love to return to work.”
Charlotte has confirmed that a tribunal date to force change has been set, but is not scheduled until 2027 – meaning Hudson could miss two years of critical support.
Charlotte added: “Daily life has become extremely difficult.
“Despite the urgency of this situation, we have been left without timely recourse.”
The family is demanding urgent intervention, a suitable specialist placement, council accountability and reform of the broken SEND system.
A Medway Council spokesperson said: “This matter is currently subject to an ongoing mediation and SEND Tribunal appeal process, and it would not be appropriate to comment further outside of that process.
“Medway Council is committed to ensuring all children have access to school places that meet their educational needs.”
Jam Press has contacted Parkwood Primary School for comment.
