A MUM is claiming that Wirral Council's SEND team is "not fit for purpose" after she said it is "impossible" to get hold of them.

Rachel Scott, from Meols, has a 13-year-old daughter who is terminally ill and requires an educational healthcare plan at school.

Over the past four years, Rachel claims she has been "battling with Wirral Council's SEND department", as it is "impossible" to get hold of them and get the support she needs.

Speaking to the Globe, she said: "I try to get hold of people in the SEND team, I have written complaints and had no complaint response received.

"My daughter is being let down by the council massively. There are never people on the end of the phone so somebody can speak to them. I’ve left hundreds of voicemails.

"I just want to know how many people are the same and can never get through to the team."

During the summer holidays, Rachel had a meeting with Wirral Council to get her daughter a one-to-one in school, as she could have a medical emergency "at any time".

The 50-year-old added: "I came out of the meeting saying this is great. Then, the next day I phoned the people in the meeting and I had no answer.

"A few days before school started, my daughter didn't want to go back because her one-to-one hadn't been sorted for her."

'It's not acceptable'

Rachel explained that "someone needs to be held accountable" for the lack of communication from the SEND team.

"I have direct numbers for some of the team and when you call them nobody picks up". she said. 

"As parents with children with needs it’s not acceptable. The Children’s Services is not fit for purpose. 

"These children are the most vulnerable in our community and the council has a legal obligation towards them."

Rachel also explained that she wrote an email on Wednesday, September 6, as her daughter started school that day and she needed clarification from the team about her daughter's one-to-one arrangements.

She called four people on the team and also tried to phone the SEND team through the switchboard numerous times leading up to her daughter's first day back and no one answered.

Council comment

A spokesperson for Wirral Council said: "Senior officers from Children’s Services met with Ms Scott during the summer holidays to review and increase support in place for her daughter to ensure she has the right educational support for the new term.

"Arrangements have been made for one-to-one teaching assistance, with a dedicated person. The next step, now schools are back after summer, is for the school to recruit someone to this position. In the meantime temporary support has been put in place to cover all her daughter’s lessons."