Mum appeals for money towards private special needs assessments for sons after two years stuck on Milton Keynes waiting lists

Samantha Poole says her boys Harvey, 13, and eight -year-old Sebastian have been trapped in the system for two years waiting for official statements and education plans.

Both boys also have learning difficulties and both have been excluded from their schools for "bad" behaviour that is due to their special needs, says Samantha, who runs her own business called Mum to Mum Milton Keynes .

She says hundreds of other MK parents are in the same boat, stuck on NHS waiting lists for psychologists to officially diagnose their children before they can get the help they need.

"Meanwhile schools are struggling to cope as they are not getting the help for these children either," said Samantha, who lives at Willen.

Currently Harvey is at a Pupil Referral Unit after he was excluded from his secondary school.

"He's been there a year yet they are only meant to stay there for 12 weeks. My first attempt to get him an ECHP (Education, Health and Care Plan) for his special needs was rejected and I had to appeal. Now I'm waiting to hear if that appeal has been successful."

Meanwhile Harvey has waited for two years for an appointment to see a Social Communication Disorder specialist at MK Hospital.

Little Sebastian is also waiting for an autism assessment . His first EHCP was rejected last year and Samantha is gathering evidence to appeal.

She is struggling to find a "safe" place for Sebastian to be educated until he is diagnosed. Currently he is at home after being excluded from a primary school for wrecking a classroom when he became scared and frustrated.

"The crazy thing is that if I can pay privately I can get them diagnosed within a week or two. Yet it would cost thousands of pounds and I can't afford it - I'm a single mum," she said.

Two autism assessment would cost £3,200 privately, and two education assessments would cost a further £1190, said Samantha. Private therapy sessions are £60 each and children need 20 on average.

The total comes to a staggering £6790. This is the amount Samantha aims to raise on her GoFundMe page, which can be found here

As soon as she has secured education plans for her own sons, Samantha plans to help other 'unteachable' children with autism in Milton Keynes by raising more cash to fund a specialist SEN school in Milton Keynes, hopefully through a charity.

"This is not about raising money for my boys - this is for every child suffering today, every parent like me that is stuck, desperate, alone, in debt, isolated and everything else that goes with raising children with complex needs and traumatic divorce/separation," she said.

"The government has spent £269m on Brexit yet nothing on helping children like Harvey and Sam. I want my appeal to go viral so all these children get the help they deserve."