AN EASTLEIGH mother is desperate to find her son a suitable school which will accommodate his needs after years of "struggles."

Brooke Herrod, 27, said her son Noah Sheridan, seven, first showed signs of having additional needs aged two.

Five years on, Brooke is calling on Hampshire County Council and children and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) to help Noah.

She said: "I feel like Noah is being let down massively. In pre-school, it became apparent he was struggling.

"Eventually, a Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) was done by Hampshire County Council which recognised that Noah has additional needs."

In December 2020, Noah was moved to special educational school The Waterloo in Waterlooville, which he attended until September 2021.

Brooke said: "Noah came home and he was very upset and told me that his teacher hurt him around his neck during a restraint.

"I asked Noah several times what happened and he relayed the same story and never missed anything out. Noah has been restrained many times and never said anything, but he still talks about the teacher who hurt his neck.

"I will never know what went on but as a mother I have to do what is right for my son and I removed him from the school.

"This school was supposed to give him a better life."

Brooke says she has now been told that there is no school for Noah apart from The Waterloo.

She said: "At the end of the day my son has a right to education.

"He needs an autism assessment as that opens him up to a whole load of schools.

"I want Noah to be in education, but I also want awareness to be raised. I know I am not alone in this."

In response, a Hampshire County Council spokesperson said: "We are unable to comment on individual cases. We treat every child as an individual and undertake a thorough assessment of their needs, which can often be complex in nature, and to do this properly, can take a substantial amount of time.

"However, the County Council is committed to working with individual parents to provide the best possible educational outcomes for each individual child and young person, supporting both their educational development and their emotional wellbeing."

A spokesperson for Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which runs CAMHS, said: "Receiving a timely autism diagnosis is vital in getting the right support and helping autistic people and those supporting them to better understand their needs.

"Investment of more than £6m has been put in place to address increasing demands and help expand services and our staff are working tirelessly to assess and treat as many young people as possible."

The Waterloo did not respond when approached for a comment.