A PROFOUNDLY disabled boy has seen his school transport cancelled after a bus driver complained about his 'shouting and banging'.

David Addison’s parents, Lee and Melissa, say they were told before the Easter holidays by Darlington Borough Council’s school transport services team that his transport to Beaumont Hill School in Darlington was being removed with immediate effect.

The Council claims it has just removed the 12-year-old’s transport temporarily due to 'serious safety concerns'.

However, his parents say they have not been told it is a temporary measure.

They were told the decision was made following a complaint from the driver, who took over the minibus route two years ago after the Darlington Borough Council contract was transferred from charity the Darlington and District Youth and Community Association to Garnetts Coaches.

Mr and Mrs Addison said: “David suffers with multiple issues which can result in him shouting and banging on his chest or face as a way of communication, which occurs with all forms of movement. It has been made clear that until David no longer ‘shouts’ transport will not be given to and from school. This is disgraceful. David has no control or understanding of what he does.”

David suffers from hydrocephalus, quadraplegic cerebral palsy, scoliosis of the spine, epilepsy, anxiety, and is non-verbal and uses shouting as a form of communication.

His parents added: “For us as parents this is very insulting. David has suffered a great deal in his life, more than you will ever imagine. He is a wonderful strong human being with a fun sense of humour who is adored by all who interact and care for him. He has fought all of his life to be here from just 24 weeks gestation. David has profound and complex needs and is completely reliant on carers to meet all of his needs.”

They said he was legally entitled to the provision and that he loved school, which he had attended since he was three. His parents are unable to transport him there more than three days due to shift work and other issues.

And they said he was being penalised due to circumstances out of his control.

Mrs Addison claimed David’s doctors at the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) had offered to work with the transport services to improve his journey, and even travel with him to see where the problem lay, but this had been declined. The council denies this.

A spokeswoman for the council said: “We are making every effort possible to ensure that David can attend school in a manner that is safe for him and others. Due to the complex nature of his needs, this will take time. In the very short term, we have asked his parents to assist him to travel to school. We have provided David with transport to school for around eight years with very few, if any, issues.

"Recent changes in how his condition presents itself has meant that he could no longer travel safely with others on the bus. This decision was not taken lightly and was taken because of serious safety concerns raised by the driver; concerns that could not be ignored. We worked with the school to try different ways to help make things easier for him to travel on the bus and the family were kept informed.

“Unfortunately nothing seemed to help.

“This is a difficult situation for the family and we are working with them and others including his school, social worker as well as transport providers, to ensure David travels to school in a safe manner that meets his needs.”

Garnetts Coaches was contacted for comment.