Overnight placements for Send pupils under threat
One mother says she fears her son will struggle as the school he attends may have to stop its residential service.
Fosse Way School, in Midsomer Norton, offers a 24-hour, residential option for some children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send).
However, Bath and North East Somerset Council has withdrawn its funding for the service, saying there are no children in its care who qualify for a residential placement. It said current pupils will be able to complete their one-year placements.
"We, as parents, will have to pick up the pieces. I'll have to work twice as hard," said Sharon Wilson, whose son Ruben, 15, goes to Fosse Way.
Ruben, who is autistic and non-verbal, has been living at Fosse Way for a year.
"Last year, Ruben's world was small," Ms Wilson said. "Since being at Fosse Way, his bubble has gotten bigger and he's talking to more people."
She said she fears he will lose all the skills he has learned and his world will "get smaller again".
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Jessica Clark has an autistic son who went to Fosse Way House in his teens.
He is now 20 and lives in supported housing.
"You always worry about what happens when we as parents pass away," Ms Clark said. "What is his care going to look like?"
Jason Towells, residential education manager at Fosse Way, said it had been graded as outstanding by the education watchdog Ofsted for the past three years.
"We do a lot of work on preparing for adulthood," Mr Towells said. "We want them to access the community and build friendships."
Mr Towells said the school believes there are many students who require a 24-hour curriculum.
However, Mr May said: "For the academic year starting September 2025, no children have been identified whose needs would be met by the residential provision at Fosse Way."
He added: "When a child is placed in Fosse Way, it is with the clear understanding that it is for one academic year and the children currently placed there will be able to complete this year-long placement.
"Fosse Way House is not a council-run facility and decisions about its future are matters for The Partnership Trust whose work we value."
A spokesperson for The Partnership Trust added: "Currently seven young people have been placed at Fosse Way House by the council. Such a placement was deemed as being necessary and appropriate when each child's Education Health Care Plans were reviewed last year.
"The professionals who work with the young people understand their complex needs well, and all evidence suggests that they are thriving at Fosse Way School and Fosse Way House.
"Currently, only children who go to Fosse Way School can access Fosse Way House. As all children are funded through local authorities, over 90% of which come through BANES Council, our options are very, very limited if the council determines not to place children there."
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Editor's Note: The Case Challenge series includes difficult-to-diagnose conditions, some of which are not frequently encountered by most clinicians, but are nonetheless important to accurately recognize. Test your diagnostic and treatment skills using the following patient scenario and corresponding questions. If you have a case that you would like to suggest for a future Case Challenge, please email us at ccsuggestions@ with the subject line "Case Challenge Suggestion." We look forward to hearing from you. Background and Initial Presentation A 40-year-old man presents to the emergency department with complaints of repeated vomiting and dizziness for the past 2 days. He has no fever or diarrhea. He has been experiencing dyspepsia and abdominal fullness after meals for a month. These symptoms have increased during this time, causing him to decrease his food intake week by week. He has tried over-the-counter drugs, such as antacids and pantoprazole, with no effect. 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