The Prime Minister has pledged to intervene after a school's policy restricting siblings at milestone events left a family with a severely disabled child unable to attend key school occasions. According to BBC News, Natasha and James say their six-year-old daughter, Hollie, who attends Benyon Primary in South Ockendon, Essex, has been left in tears because they cannot bring her three-year-old brother William to plays, parents' evenings and other events. William has profound, multiple, life-limiting disabilities and requires 24-hour care, making it impossible for the family to leave him at home or arrange alternative supervision.
Jen Craft, Labour MP for Thurrock, raised the family's circumstances at Prime Minister's Questions on 15 October. According to local reporting, Andy Burnham called the situation "crucial and deeply concerning" and confirmed he had asked the Department for Education to engage with the trust to resolve the matter without delay.
What is the school's position on siblings?
The Catalyst Academies Trust, which operates the school, denies implementing an outright ban but states that attendance numbers must be controlled at certain events for "practical and safety reasons". Trust chief executive Tony Parfett explained that for some occasions, attendance is restricted to two parents per pupil. He noted that when William's parents attended a parent-only event in September 2025, they were informed of this limit and had the option of one parent remaining with William while the other participated in the event.
Parfett stated that one parent did attend the same parent-only event this September and offered to meet with the family to explore further arrangements that could facilitate their attendance at scheduled events while remaining equitable for all parents.
How has this affected Hollie's school experience?
Since the rule change took effect in September 2024, Hollie's parents have missed numerous school occasions including parents' evenings, singing events, progress meetings, phonics lessons, special assemblies and school plays. Natasha, 40, who left her work as a nursery nurse following William's birth to become his full-time carer, described the emotional toll on her daughter. She said Hollie often "ends up sitting crying in the crowd because she can't see her mum or her dad in the audience", adding:
That breaks my heart.
What support does the family currently have?
The family has recently secured nine hours of respite care per week through Thurrock Council, which Natasha describes as vital given William's restless nights and her resulting sleep deprivation. However, this support frequently does not align with school event schedules. James, who works as a regional sales manager, often travels outside the county for his role, further limiting the family's flexibility in arranging attendance at school occasions.
What has the MP said about the trust's response?
Craft, who also has a disabled son, raised concerns about the trust's approach to the family's situation. She told the BBC that the trust "made me want to tear my hair out," adding:
They were completely unreceptive to me from day one. For me it is a lack of compassion and a lack of seeing how they can best support disabled families.She stated that the trust had "repeatedly refused to make an exception" or meet with her to discuss potential solutions.
At Prime Minister's Questions, Craft called on the government to
back my call for the trust to do the right thing .. and meet their reasonable adjustment obligations to disabled children and their families.
What is the broader context?
The dispute highlights the challenges and demands faced by families caring for disabled children while navigating school systems. The Catalyst Academies Trust operates five schools across Thurrock: Benyon, Aveley Primary, Dilkes Academy, Quarry Hill Academy and Somers Heath Primary. The case raises questions about how educational institutions balance practical constraints with their obligations to make reasonable adjustments for families with disabled children.
What happens next?
The Department for Education is expected to speak to the trust following the Prime Minister's intervention, though no specific date for that discussion or any resulting decision has been reported. The family and their MP await the outcome of these discussions.
