A MUM has told how her daughter has been left without school transport for 14 WEEKS because of her nut allergy – and now her husband is at risk.
Joanne Mahon, 40, applied for help from the council to take nine-year-old daughter Skye to and from her special school each day so she could continue to care for her disabled husband Darren.
Her application was approved by the Travel Assist sceheme at the end of September, but because no members of staff are EpiPen trained on the school bus, the family are still waiting for the transport months on.
It means Joanne, who is a full time carer, is having to spend hours away from wheelchair-bound Darren each day, putting him at risk of "choking on his own tongue" as he suffers from "severe" epileptic fits, Birmingham Live reports.
The mum-of-three, from Erdington, Birmingham, said: "I've actually been on the phone to him coming back from Kings Heath and I've literally listened to him swallowing his tongue.
"There's nothing I can do because I'm not supposed to leave him. If he's fitting and I'm on the other side of Birmingham, there's no one to help him or to let anyone in.
"So it's either my daughter's education or my husband's health, I know I've got to think of my daughter's health as well but Travel Assist are for children with disabilities."
The frustrated mum added: "She would've been off school for nearing 14 weeks if I hadn't been taking her."
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Darren has had to cancel several medical appointments at hospital, with Joanna feeling like she has to choose between her "daughter's education or my husband's health".
Meanwhile, she says all Skye's classmates are provided with transport to and from school – leaving Skye feeling confused.
Joanne said it took her just 20 minutes to train with an EpiPen, suggesting it should be simple to train others too.
She added her husband can't come with her on the school run as they have two other kids who are transported to school – and need someone there to let them in.
Birmingham City Council, which runs the Travel Assist service, sympathised with the "difficult situation" and said it was reviewing options.
It said in a statement: "We understand the situation must be difficult for the family and the service is reviewing options to deliver transport in a safe manner given the potential risks in this case.
"We have to make sure suitable transport is put in place, managing the risks appropriately."
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