A Caerphilly mother has spoken out, declaring she is “at breaking point” after repeated attempts to secure essential support for her young daughter were blocked by local authorities.
Tyler Gapper, 30, has been locked in an exhausting battle with the council to obtain a specialist education placement and dedicated medical transport for her six-year-old daughter, Sky. The child, who lives with both autism and juvenile arthritis, requires consistent, specialized care that her current school is struggling to provide.
According to Ms. Gapper, Sky’s condition causes severe flare-ups in her joints, resulting in muscle loss and mobility issues that necessitate the use of a disability pram. Despite providing a formal letter from a consultant paediatric rheumatologist explicitly stating that the child requires assisted transport, the council has rejected Ms. Gapper’s applications three times since December.
“Medical professionals say she needs transport, and the school says they cannot keep her safe,” Ms. Gapper explained. “But the council has told me her current school can meet her needs. They haven’t explained how.”
The situation has created an unsustainable cycle for the family. Because Sky experiences significant emotional dysregulation, she is frequently sent home from her current primary school within two hours of arrival. Staff, who Ms. Gapper describes as “amazing and supportive,” often find themselves unable to manage the child safely, as she requires constant supervision to prevent her from harming herself or others.
The burden on the family has become immense. With Ms. Gapper needing to care for another child, and her partner working demanding 12-hour night shifts, the logistics of getting Sky to school have pushed them to the brink.
“When my partner is on nights, he stays up to take her to school, gets to bed by 9.30am, and then from 11am he’s getting out of bed to pick her up because she’s being sent home,” she said. “My anxiety is crazy. I’m running around trying to get paperwork together, I’m stressed, and my partner is not sleeping.”
Ms. Gapper fears that the lack of proper support is denying her daughter, who she describes as “very clever,” the education she deserves. She believes the council is treating her daughter as a mere number, ignoring the nuances of her individual needs.
“I’m not keeping quiet any more,” Ms. Gapper added. “I’ve had enough of it.”
In response to the claims, a spokesperson for Caerphilly County Borough Council stated they could not comment on individual cases. They added that all decisions are made in accordance with local policies and that parents are entitled to an appeals process where further evidence can be reviewed. For now, however, the family remains stuck in a cycle of uncertainty and exhaustion.
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