SEND transport staff 'kicked and bitten by pupils'

Staff who transport children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to and from school have said they are regularly subjected to attacks by pupils lashing out on journeys.

Emma, a transport assistant for Leeds City Council, said she was bitten three times by the same eight-year-old boy and had been left with a permanent scar on her breast.

She said: "It's not what we signed up to do. We signed up to provide a service, we didn't sign up to be used as punch bags."

The authority said it was aware of concerns being raised and was "working closely with trade unions and colleagues across the council to improve safety on the buses".

Emma, who needed hospital treatment and a tetanus injection as a result of the attack last year, called for more support and self-defence training from the council.

She said she also wanted pupils who attacked staff to be given an immediate travel ban.

"I love my job but it's got to the point where you've got to give yourself a bit of a pep talk in the morning because of what might happen," she said.

"Some of the kids will just lean over and pull your hair or punch you around the face.

"I've spoken to many assistants who have been attacked or come home covered in bruises."

Emma said it took six weeks until the council intervened and stopped the boy who attacked her from travelling on the service.

"Incidents need to be dealt with there and then, it cannot be a case of, 'let's just see how it goes'.

"At the moment it feels like we can't do anything to stop them from attacking us, we just have to let it happen."

The Unite union said workers lacked kit such as restraints, had inadequate first aid training and no risk assessments.

Union representative Julia Inman, who has worked in passenger transport for 16 years, said violent outbursts from children had increased.

Inman, who also works for the council's passenger transport service, said: "They're getting bitten, people have had lumps taken out of their arms and have had to have plastic surgery.

"Staff are spat at on a daily basis, hit and punched and that's not just the assistants, it's the drivers too."

She added: "It's all down to cost cutting and we can't afford to have that as we provide a vital service."

A spokesperson for Leeds City Council said: "All staff are trained and refresher training is delivered every three years.

"We remain committed to supporting young people with special educational needs and disabilities in accessing education."