Fury as autistic pupil escapes three times

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http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news2/Fury-as-autistic-pupil-

escapes.4268928.jp

Fury as autistic pupil escapes three times

Wednesday, 9th July 2008

A YOUNG autistic boy has escaped from lessons at a Sheffield school

for the third time in a year - even though he is supposed to be

constantly supervised.

Eleven-year-old Regan Congreve, who also has attention-deficit

hyperactivity disorder, disappeared during a lesson at Concord

Junior, Wincobank, and escaped from the grounds by climbing over a

high fence.

Regan - whose mother Lindsey Cassim says has no sense of danger -

first disappeared last summer when he left school and made his way to

Meadowhall shopping centre, where his mum was working at the time.

And on the second occasion, last autumn term, the youngster was

spotted wandering along a Wincobank street by his old headteacher.

Now angry Lindsey, who says Regan is supposed to have constant

supervision, has withdrawn him from school.

Lindsey, of Wheata Road, Ecclesfield, said: " I received a phone call

from school to say Regan had gone from his class and they were unsure

whether he was still on the premises.

" I was distraught. Regan has ADHD and autistic spectrum disorder and

he has no sense of danger.

" Without supervision, anything could have happened to him. As it

turned out, he had left school and ended up at his nannan's house. "

Lindsey said Regan's special needs meant he was supposed to have

constant supervision from a classroom assistant.

She said: " Given that is the case I don't know what went wrong. But I

am withdrawing him from school until he is ready to start at

Ecclesfield secondary in September. "

Lindsey claimed that on previous occasions Regan had simply been able

to walk through the school gates, which were unlocked in case of

deliveries.

She said: " I feel the school does not handle his condition well - to

my mind they say things to him which amount to bullying. He doesn't

like confrontation and, although he is no angel, he does get upset

easily.

" It seems that on the latest occasion a teacher had said something

about 'wait till you get to Ecclesfield where the big boys are' and

he got upset.

" What I can't understand is why the school did not call police

straight away when a vulnerable child had gone missing. "

Concord Junior School declined to comment.But Marium Haque, senior

manager for Sheffield Council children's services department,

said: " We share the mother's concern, and are working with the school

to look at their safety and supervision procedures. Our staff are

visiting this week to carry out a thorough assessment of safety

measures. "