Teesdale mum's fight for 'special needs' son

A MOTHER has vowed never to give up her fight after the county council refused to fund a special needs school placement which she says is “paramount” to her disabled son’s future.
Four-year-old Teddy Berriman, who lives at Burnt Houses with his mum Nicola Short, needs round-the-clock care.
Having been born prematurely at 32 weeks, Teddy spent the first two weeks of his life in intensive care.
At two years old, an MRI scan revealed that Teddy was brain damaged. He was diagnosed with a neuromuscular disorder called spastic quadriplegia – the most serious and disabling form of spastic cerebral palsy.
The condition predominantly affects his lower limbs meaning that he can’t walk, stand or sit unaided and has only been crawling short distances for the past year.
As well as daily physiotherapy at home, Teddy needs regular botox in his legs followed by four weeks in plaster for postural support to help take away painful spasms in his muscles.
Miss Short, 34, said: “Teddy was not hitting the usual milestones. I knew something wasn’t right. Doctors kept saying it was just because he was early but it wasn’t and from there things have just snowballed. The core of Teddy’s brain has not been affected though which means he can still speak. He was talking at nine months old.”
Teddy suffers from three types of epilepsy – focal epilepsy, absence epilepsy and tonic clonic seizures. As well as having a very strict diet due to intolerances, Teddy is incontinent. He is also autistic, partially sighted and is unable to feed himself.
Despite all of this, Durham County Council says Teddy’s needs can be met at a mainstream school.
For the past two years, Teddy has been attending Percy Hedley School, in Newcastle, for free sessions one morning a week. These provide conductive education for children with cerebral palsy
up until school age.
The school caters for children with additional needs offering speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, learning support, specialist nursing, hydrotherapy and teaching.
Prior to Teddy starting school in Butterknowle in September for three days a week, Miss Short and Teddy’s dad, Philip Berriman who works in Spain, applied to Durham County Council for a
split placement.
This would see Teddy attend Butterknowle Primary School for three days and Percy Hedley School for two days a week.
Miss Short said: “Both schools knew and they were supportive in what I wanted. The day the schools broke up for the summer holidays I found out the council had refused the application. They told me that Teddy’s needs could be met in a mainstream school.”
Miss Short has since been fighting for what she believes her little boy needs to ensure a good start in life.
A one-to-one support worker is also still being sought for him at Butterknowle Primary School.
She said: “Everything we need for Teddy is there. It is great for him.”
According to Miss Short, it would cost Durham County Council £12,000 a year for Teddy to go to Percy Hedley excluding transport costs.
Miss Short said: “I have told them that Teddy is not a statistic. I’m not going to give up.”
Despite the benefits Teddy would gain from attending Percy Hedley School, the costs are out of reach for the family.
A two-day weekly placement would be £15,000 a year if privately funded – something  they can’t afford. One day a week would cost just over £8,000 a year.
Miss Short is fundraising to pay for one day a week at a costs of £200 a day rather than committing to an annual sum. After completing the Muddy Mayhem race at Hardwick Park last month, she raised £1,600 – enough to fund eight days of special schooling.
Miss Short said: “I can’t thank people enough for everything they have done for us. It means so much.
“He is my little boy and I feel like I should be doing everything for him but I know I can’t.”
A tribunal has been scheduled for January 17 to try to  resolve Teddy’s case.
Durham County Council’s head of education, Caroline O’Neill, said: “We are aware of the family’s concerns and, through our standard appeals process, will continue to work with them to agree a way forward.”
Miss Short added: “Teddy is always happy and never complains. Things are difficult enough without going through this. He needs continuity and familiarisation.
“Every family wants what is best for their child and I will keep fighting. It is a blueprint for the rest of his life.”
To help Teddy visit www.gofundme.com/2nk2dh8.