The week before Christmas, little Rudi Barnes was writing out cards for all his classmates.

But unlike the rest of his friends, he wasn't able to hand them out because he's not allowed in school.

His parents Claire Scaife and Carl Barnes took them in for him, but they fear Rudi is already being left behind.

"He went to a friend's birthday party and this kid said 'nobody remembers you in school'," said Claire, 38.

"He got really upset, it's heartbreaking."

Last September, just two days into the new school year, Rudi was permanently excluded from St Malachy's RC Primary in Miles Platting aged just five.

He hasn't had another day in school since.

Headteacher Mrs Janine Parker took the decision to exclude Rudi after an incident in which he kicked and punched teaching staff, tipped over chairs and a table, and pulled displays off a wall.

It was the culmination of a pattern of violent behaviour that began in nursery when he was just three-years-old.

While they understand why the school made the drastic decision, his parents are distraught and believe more should have been done to keep him in school and get him the help he clearly needs.

The couple say they have no idea where Rudi's behaviour comes from and that it doesn't happen at home.

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Certainly, Rudi's exclusion is unusual.

There were just 118 children permanently excluded aged five across the country in 2017-18, according to the Department for Education.

In Manchester, only thirteen pupils in total were permanently excluded from state-funded primary schools.

The advice to headteachers is that it should be an absolute last resort.

However, as the M.E.N has reported previously , soaring rates of exclusions has been a serious problem in Manchester schools in recent years.

A government review, led by former children's minister Edward Timpson and published last year, pointed to an array of negative outcomes for children who are excluded including a reduced likelihood of achieving good GCSEs, a higher chance of ending up unemployed and a higher chance of being either the victim, or perpetrator of a crime.

In November 2019, Manchester Council responded by launching a new 'Inclusion Strategy' that was designed to tackle exclusion rates.

But the sad story of how Rudi Barnes came to be kicked out of school at such a young age, and his parents' ongoing battle to make sure he gets an education, highlights how this continues to be a challenging problem.

Many of those tasked with preventing exclusions, from school staff to mental health services, are struggling with a rapidly increasing workload and dwindling budgets after a decade of government funding cuts.

'They said they will take me to court - fine'

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Four months after his permanent exclusion, Rudi still hasn't had another day at school or been assessed by a mental health professional, despite being referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) at least nine times, the M.E.N understands.

By law, the local authority must make arrangements for a child's full time education from the sixth day of exclusion onwards.

Rudi has been offered alternative provision at Bridgelea, a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) for permanently excluded children but it has left the parents in a quandry.

There used to be a Bridgelea site in Gorton, near to their home in Miles Platting, but that closed in 2018.

The main PRU site is in Withington, almost six miles away and several bus journeys away for Claire and Carl who do not have a car and are reliant on state benefits.

Carl, 40, is a full-time carer to partner Claire who has diabetes, and is also responsible for getting Rudi's nine-year-old brother and two-year-old sister to school every day.

The family borrowed a car to take Rudi for a day visit to Bridgelea and after meeting the headteacher, they believe the school can provide the support he needs.

(Image: Google)

But the couple feel it is simply 'impossible' for Carl to get the other children to school and also take Rudi to Bridgelea.

Carl and Claire were hoping Rudi could get funding from the council for transport from home to school but so far none has materialised.

Manchester Council says Rudi has been provided with a bus pass for free travel and ultimately, there is no excuse for him not to be at Bridgelea.

The authority has now threatened to prosecute Carl and Claire for failing to send their child to school, although it has agreed to pause proceedings after the M.E.N requested a comment about the case.

If convicted, the couple face a fine or even a prison sentence.

"They said they will take me to court," said Carl.

"Fine, if that's what it takes to explain it all, we will go to court."

'We've been begging for help'

It seems extreme that Rudi's future should now be decided in a criminal court room.

Carl and Claire struggle to understand how it got to this point.

Speaking at the family's neatly-kept home last week, the couple showed the M.E.N a pile of paper documents relating to Rudi's problems at school.

It has already been a long and intimidating process.

Rudi's violent behaviour began just months after he first started in nursery at St Malachy's in September 2017.

As might be expected of such a young child, many of the incidents were petulant in nature.

"They offered him a pear, and he doesn't like pears," said Carl.

"So he threw it at the teacher and cut her lip.

"He was excluded from reception for that."

Staff tried to handle Rudi's outbursts by taking him out of the room, but by reception, his behaviour was escalating.

"They said he was just getting more angry," said Carl

"They did get a psychologist in, a behaviour specialist.

"But they only came one day and didn't see anything.

"The teacher told us they're trained in holding techniques but they don't like using it.

"If they'd have held him until he calmed down, then he gives hugs and kisses out to the teachers.

"If they'd held him, he wouldn't have got excluded, or he would have got the help earlier on."

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

In response to Claire and Carl's claims, a spokesperson for the Diocese of Salford, the organisation that runs St Malchy's said: "It would not be appropriate to comment on the individual circumstances of any one pupil .

"At St Malachy's all decisions are taken in the best interest of our school community."

However, it is understood the school's position is that only 'selected', more senior staff are trained in holding techniques and that other de-escalation techniques were used with Rudi following advice from an external behaviour consultant.

Often, Rudi doesn't appear to even remember what has happened after a violent episode at school and will be hugging the same teachers he was hitting only minutes earlier.

Claire and Carl describe their son as a 'loving' little boy who likes giving out hugs so much he even embraces the staff at his local ASDA.

Rudi has both younger and older siblings and doesn't seem to suffer the same rage blackouts with them or his parents.

"I said to one of the teachers 'is it really that bad?'" said Claire.

"So she showed me a video of it on the iPad and I couldn't believe it.

"I thought 'is that really Rudi?' that's not my son.

"He was in a rage, his face looked different and everything I thought 'oh my god'.

"I was heartbroken.

"It's like he sees red and doesn't know what he's doing, but I don't know what triggers it off.

"This is what we want to find out - we've been begging for help."

'He doesn't fit the criteria'

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Over the past eighteen months, Rudi's parents, his GP and staff at St Malachy's have all referred him to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) on several occasions.

But CAMHS repeatedly refused to see Rudi on the basis he did not 'fit the criteria'.

Carl and Claire say they were told in person they would have to wait until he was aged six before he would be seen.

That appears to be true as CAMHS offered an appointment three days after Rudi turned six in December.

But while they are happy to finally see a step forward, Carl and Claire fear it will still be a lengthy process before Rudi gets the help he needs.

And they believe if Rudi had been seen earlier, he might not have ended up being permanently excluded in the first place.

"He's heartbroken he can't go to school, but it's just 'hard luck, nobody's going to even look at you yet'," said Claire.

"We shouldn't be in this predicament, it should all be in place before the child is permanently excluded.

"He should have been sent to the PRU while he was at school.

"We've looked into finding him another one nearer us but there isn't one.

"I went in [to CAMHS] crying saying 'please help me, what have I got to do?', they said he's got to be six."

Meanwhile, with Rudi now having been out of school for more than four months, the effects are starting to show.

His preference is to be at St Malachy's and his absence is made all the more painful as he often accompanies his dad when dropping off and picking up his older brother.

Mum Claire says Rudi now often refuses to eat or hides food around the house at meal times.

"The teacher hugged him the other day and said 'Rudi you've lost weight'," said Claire.

"It's shocking.

"At dinner, he was crying, 'I'm not eating it, I'm not eating it'.

"He goes to pick his brother up and he's crying saying 'why can't I go to school?'

"He's only a baby - he doesn't know what's happened.

"He says 'I'm missing my friends'.

"He's missing out on a lot."

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Claire and Carl are aware that some people might write them off as bad parents because of Rudi's predicament.

But they say they couldn't be trying any harder to do what's best for him and get him back in school.

"We just feel like we're hitting our heads off a wall," said Claire.

"The doctor said, 'you've hit a brick wall, there's no help out there for that age group'.

"Imagine we were those parents who don't care if their kids go to school?

"Our kids don't get a day off.

"We make sure they get up in the morning, they're not even late.

"It seems like it's all down to money though, nobody wants to help you, you get told 'phone this person, phone that person', we've phoned that many people we're going round in circles."

'No matter what age you are, if you need help, you need help'

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Manchester Council funds 'home to school' transport services via the Travel Co-Ordination Unit.

It is a complicated process that usually involves a child already having a statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN) or Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan.

Rudi has neither because he has yet to be assessed by a professional.

But even if he does get an SEN statement, his parents may struggle to get travel support getting him to school.

In its 2019-20 budget, the council said there are 'existing budget pressures' totalling £1.187million 'relating to Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) home to school transport, leaving care accommodation and adoption allowances.

As a result, the council intends to save £220,000 from its Travel Co-Ordination budget between 2018-20.

However, the M.E.N understands efforts are now being made to try and resolve the situation with Rudi's travel arrangements.

He is also due to have his first appointment with the CAMHS service in the next few days.

But Claire and Carl still have a long way to go with getting Rudi back in full-time education and receiving the help he needs.

"There must be other kids going through this," said Carl.

"I think it should be highlighted that no matter what age you are, if you need help, you need help.

"Not just my kids, all the other kids out there."

In 2018/19, there were 89 permanent exclusions from Manchester schools, a decrease of 44 compared with the year before.

This included 77 in secondary school and 12 in primary.

But the details of Rudi's case suggests there is still work to do.

As is the case nationally, a higher proportion of children excluded in Manchester were from vulnerable groups such as those eligible for free school meals or suffering Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

A council source said both the CAMHS service and the education service in Manchester more generally is 'under a lot of strain'.

Manchester has experienced significant population growth in recent years, particularly in primary school age children, and finding places is a challenge.

Combined with a new emphasis on recognising mental health needs in children, the system is struggling.

"There has been a massive, massive increase in demand and there isn't the resources, or the personnel, to deal with it," the source added.

What the council say:

(Image: Manchester City Council)

Councillor Garry Bridges, Executive Member for Children and Schools, Manchester City Council, said: "We never want to see any young person excluded - particularly one so young and coming so close to the start of the school year.

"Where they do take place it's really important to make sure that another place is found quickly, and following the exclusion we offered the family a place for Rudi at Bridgelea Primary School where his social and emotional needs could be assessed alongside normal lessons.

"I understand however that the family had concerns about getting their son to Bridglea and have not yet taken up the place up meaning that Rudi has not been in school since the start of the academic year.

"An education caseworker was in contact with the family in September and staff also met with the family in December to try to resolve any issues and get him into school, but this has been without success so far.



"I've now spoken directly to Rudi's family myself this week to better understand their concerns and it's very clear they want the same thing as us - for him to be in school.

"I've asked education staff to have another urgent look at things to make sure everything possible is being done to help support his parents to get Rudi into school, where he should be, as soon as possible.

"I've also asked them to put a temporary pause on any legal processes in relation to his non-attendance at school, whilst we do this."

What CAMHS say:

A spokesperson for Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital (RMCH), part of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, said: "In line with clinical guidelines, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services at RMCH provide a diagnostic assessment service to children over the age of six for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder assessment for children over the age of five.

"For children under this age, we have a dedicated Children and Parents Service which delivers effective interventions to preschool children and their families.

"If a child is referred that does not meet clinical guidelines for our services, families are always signposted to the most appropriate and successful alternative intervention for their age and circumstances."

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