OUR CHILDREN DESERVE TO BE SAFE — NO EXCUSE THE STORY — IT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED
The Issue
My son is non-verbal and autistic. He is 4 year old. He is a gentle little boy who cannot speak for himself, cannot ask strangers for help, and cannot easily tell someone his name or where he lives. Every day, I trusted that when I dropped him at school, he would be safe, supervised, and carefully handed back to me at the end of the day. That trust was broken.
On Tuesday 20-10-2026, my son was not handed over to me at home time. No member of staff noticed he had left the building. He walked out of the school grounds alone and made his way home by himself — crossing three busy public roads — before anyone realised he was missing. He arrived at our door by himself. I only discovered what had happened when I arrived to collect him and was told he was not there.
It was pure luck that he came home safely. Luck is not a safety plan. Luck is not a system. Luck is not how we should protect our most vulnerable children.
WHY THIS MATTERS — THE FACTS
• SEND children are 3 times more likely to go missing from education settings than their peers without special needs (Missing People charity)
• For non-verbal children, the risk is much higher — they cannot communicate if they are lost, scared, or in danger
• Every school in the UK has a legal duty under the Children Act 2004 and the SEND Code of Practice to keep all children safe — especially those who are most vulnerable
WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR
✅ Personal Handover — Every vulnerable/SEND child must be handed by a named staff member directly to an agreed adult
✅ Immediate Action Protocol — If a child cannot be found, staff must search and contact parents straight away — NOT wait and see
✅ Clear Accountability — Someone knows exactly where every child is, at all times
✅ Better Staff Training — To understand the specific needs of autistic and non-verbal children
✅ Listen to Parents — We know our children best — include us in safety reviews
THIS IS ABOUT MORE THAN MY SON
If this could happen to him, it could happen to anyone's child. Every single child deserves to be counted. Every single child deserves to be watched. Every single child deserves to be handed over safely — not left to find their own way home.
Please stand with us. Sign this petition. Let's make sure no child is ever left unsupervised.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart 🙏❤️
499
The Issue
My son is non-verbal and autistic. He is 4 year old. He is a gentle little boy who cannot speak for himself, cannot ask strangers for help, and cannot easily tell someone his name or where he lives. Every day, I trusted that when I dropped him at school, he would be safe, supervised, and carefully handed back to me at the end of the day. That trust was broken.
On Tuesday 20-10-2026, my son was not handed over to me at home time. No member of staff noticed he had left the building. He walked out of the school grounds alone and made his way home by himself — crossing three busy public roads — before anyone realised he was missing. He arrived at our door by himself. I only discovered what had happened when I arrived to collect him and was told he was not there.
It was pure luck that he came home safely. Luck is not a safety plan. Luck is not a system. Luck is not how we should protect our most vulnerable children.
WHY THIS MATTERS — THE FACTS
• SEND children are 3 times more likely to go missing from education settings than their peers without special needs (Missing People charity)
• For non-verbal children, the risk is much higher — they cannot communicate if they are lost, scared, or in danger
• Every school in the UK has a legal duty under the Children Act 2004 and the SEND Code of Practice to keep all children safe — especially those who are most vulnerable
WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR
✅ Personal Handover — Every vulnerable/SEND child must be handed by a named staff member directly to an agreed adult
✅ Immediate Action Protocol — If a child cannot be found, staff must search and contact parents straight away — NOT wait and see
✅ Clear Accountability — Someone knows exactly where every child is, at all times
✅ Better Staff Training — To understand the specific needs of autistic and non-verbal children
✅ Listen to Parents — We know our children best — include us in safety reviews
THIS IS ABOUT MORE THAN MY SON
If this could happen to him, it could happen to anyone's child. Every single child deserves to be counted. Every single child deserves to be watched. Every single child deserves to be handed over safely — not left to find their own way home.
Please stand with us. Sign this petition. Let's make sure no child is ever left unsupervised.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart 🙏❤️
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Petition created on 24 October 2026