Bear with me, this is long sorry.
I've name changed for obvious reasons and will try to keep details anonymous as possible but I am a long time regular and I really need some advice about this.
Dc who is 13 started a new school this term (independent school which I fought for and won). Everything at school is going well and as expected. However, the escort did not seem to be coping with dc in the car - I heard this escort shouting at DC to get in the car. I told SW that I felt this escort was not coping and escalating dc's behaviour.
Soon after we were given another escort who promised she already knew my dc and would be fine in the car.
I took my other child away for a few days, leaving my DC with her dad who is very close to her, very calm and has never ever come home with bruising when has been in his care.
Whilst I was away I was contacted by the school to say they were worried about bruises that had suddenly appeared. I got back to see that my DC had and still has really nasty bruises at the very tops of arms where they have been grabbed - there are 4 clear finger marks on the back of arm and a corresponding thumb print (about 3) on the front. There was also a large rectangular bruise on the shin which looked as if someone had kicked DC.
The next day at pick up time I saw this escort stand on my dc's foot to prevent them from kicking. My child tends to kick when anxious - has very severe ASD and can't really talk. At this point I phoned our social worker and asked her to come. She agreed with me that this was not acceptable at all and said that this company should not take DC for the time being to school.
I spoke to my child's teacher who said she was suspicious of the sudden bruising which came at the same time this new escort appeared (who by the way is very tall and of big build) this teacher then asked the escort to start writing a hand over report, and sure enough there is reference to holding DC down in the taxi. I was informed by the safeguarding officer at the school that this is illegal because taxi escorts are not trained in restraint procedures. They should have informed SS. This, they failed to do. At this point in the investigation the taxi company has also admitted restraining my DC.
The LA have apparently launched an investigation but I now have a situation where the LA is saying it's not their responsibility to fund alternative transport in the interim and Social Services should pick up the tab if they feel current contractor is unsafe and our social worker is saying they don't have the money and they can't - go back to the LA. So it's down to me to take DC and pick up when I have another child at school in another town. And this is a 30 minute drive each way. I have AS myself and am a nervous driver, however my child's safety is clearly paramount so In a way, I prefer to take my DC myself because my trust has been shaken generally and DC has been fine in the car with me. LA has agreed to pay petrol costs for me to do this.
I have reported this escort to the police. I am very upset about what has happened to my child. The traumatic journeys have been hindering the progress the teachers are trying to make with her at school. At school she works mostly by herself and there have been no incidents of other children hurting DC.
has anyone else had to deal with a situation like this? I am currently feeling very down and stressed. And even our social worker now seems to want to distance herself from this because of the pressure from her line manager and the LA.