A SINGLE mother took a Worcestershire authority to a tribunal after claiming her autistic daughter has been failed by the special needs education system for six years.

Maz Dodsworth, 44, said she feels frightened for her 24-year-old daughter’s future and claims Worcestershire Children First failed to cater to her special needs.

Ms Dodsworth’s daughter has had an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP) since the age of 16.

Her plan will end at the age of 25.

But her mother is worried because her daughter has been out of mainstream education for four and a half years despite the plan.

Ms Dodsworth also claims Worcestershire Children's First tried to cease her daughter’s EHCP in 2019 because "she was academically too low to be placed anywhere".

A spokesperson for Worcestershire Children First said following the Tribunal Order it has continued to work with providers and liaise with Ms Dodsworth.

Ms Dodworth, who lives in Clifton upon Teme said: “I am frightened that if something happened to me, what is going to happen to my daughter.

"My daughter is autistic, she has no numeracy skills or social input.

"She needs a speech therapist.

"I feel as though my health and life have been put on hold.

"My daughter has medical needs and she is not independent and it is very difficult."

Last year, Ms Dodsworth took Children First to a tribunal in the hopes it would get her daughter into a suitable college which would meet her needs.

After the tribunal, several colleges were ruled out including Pershore College, and it was agreed Ms Dodsworth’s daughter would go to Glasshouse College, Stourbridge. 

The 24-year-old was set to start after Easter.

Ms Dodsworth said the paperwork had been done on both ends but Worcestershire Children First had not confirmed her place.

In May, Ms Dodsworth said she reached breaking point after finding out the 24-year-old had been relocated to Pershore College.

However, her mother said Pershore College had been ruled out and does not have a speech therapist.

“She is not confident and she is a very anxious person and has very low self-esteem.

“It feels as though the council are trying to break me, they are ignoring me in the hope that I will give up."

The Worcestershire Children First spokesperson said: "We can confirm that following the Tribunal Order we have continued to work with providers and liaise with Ms Dodsworth to secure a suitable mainstream post-16 placement for Ms Dodsworth's daughter that would allow her to pursue her interests, meet her needs and provide an appropriate level of support.

"We continue to support the family to put in place provision which would allow the 24-year-old to reengage with her learning in mainstream education."