Mum ‘can’t sleep’ after son comes back from school with bruises

By Joe Coughlan, Local Democracy Reporter

A mum says she “can’t sleep” after her son allegedly came home from school with bruises on multiple occasions.

Yvette Roberts-Booth, 54, lives in Downham, Lewisham, with her 13-year-old son, Kai, who was diagnosed with autism in 2018 and started at Baston House School in Bromley two years ago.

The school is designed to provide education for children aged five to 19 with autism or other special educational needs.

The mum claims that things changed at the school in September last year and Kai felt like he wasn’t being listened to any more.

Kai claimed that when he would try to leave the classroom when he became overwhelmed, teachers and staff would restrain him.

Ms Roberts-Booth said Kai claimed he was unable to breathe at times when being restrained by teachers.

Dwayne Wallace, 57, who is a close family friend of Ms Roberts-Booth, says he has witnessed Kai leaving school with injuries.

He said: “One time I went to pick [Kai] up and he had bruises. Hand bruises, leg bruises, a neck bruise. I took him to the doctor and Kai was full of pain.”

Ms Roberts-Booth added: “I was planning to move him, because it was uncomfortable. He stopped eating food, just drinking things. He was worrying.

“Coming back, when the taxi driver would drop him off, he didn’t say good evening. He took his clothes off silently, and he would go to sleep.”

The mum claims that she saw handprints and bruises on Kai up to seven times after he came back from school.

She added that before she was able to move Kai from the school, her son was temporarily suspended in July after he fought back when a teacher allegedly restrained him.

Ms Roberts-Booth said: “They gave me the day to send him back but on the date when he was to go back… they called my phone and said to me that this boy is not in school any more.”

The mum said she had been told Kai was not allowed on the school’s premises any more. She said staff also told her they had arranged a meeting for her that day that she had failed to attend, but the mum claims she was never told about it.

Ms Roberts-Booth said Baston House School told her Kai would complete the rest of the term online, but claims this was never arranged.

She said: “I can’t sleep. Everything is going so fast and I’m so anxious. I just want him to get back to school and to be dealt with fairly, being a child with autism.”

A Baston House School spokesman said: “The safeguarding of young people is of utmost importance. Racism is not tolerated – incidents are dealt with as per our behaviour policy. We are unable to comment on individual young people on account of confidentiality.”

A Lewisham council spokesman said: “Although this is an independent school that sits outside the borough, as a Lewisham resident with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), the pupil is supported by Lewisham council as their local authority.

“Both the school and family have advised via the annual EHCP review process that this placement is no longer appropriate to meet the needs of the child.”

“We have been and continue to be working closely with the family and are pleased to be able to provide home tuition as an interim solution.”

Pictured top: Kai Booth, 13, at home in Downham, Lewisham (Picture: Facundo Arrizabalaga)