Mother desperately fights for a school place for her autistic son in Leipzig

Mother desperately fights for a school place for her autistic son in Leipzig

In Leipzig, over 5,000 children are about to start school after the summer holidays. Among these newcomers is six-year-old Aron, who does not yet have a secure place at a primary school. The decision about his school future depends largely on the financing of school assistance, which is absolutely necessary to meet his special needs. This support costs 10,800 euros. Sylvia Merchant, Aron's single mother, is forced to fight for financial help and has therefore started a call for donations on the “Go Fund Me” platform.

Aron has Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism that makes life difficult for him in social situations. He has difficulty getting along with his peers and needs support to be able to learn successfully in a regular elementary school. A report recommended that Aron attend a regular primary school. A suitable school and an inclusion assistant have already been found, but there is no financial support and the youth welfare office has refused to cover the costs of school assistance. This is now leading to a lawsuit by Sylvia Handel against the authority.

Legal hurdles and the fight for integration assistance

Dealing with the youth welfare office is not only emotionally stressful, but also complex. Silko Kamphausen, acting head of the youth welfare office, emphasizes that the authority must comply with legal requirements regarding the procedure for applying for integration assistance. This assistance is crucial for the school integration of children with disabilities, and there are significant discrepancies regarding Aron's situation that are delaying the processing of his application.

In Germany, children and young people with disabilities are entitled to integration assistance, which can be applied for either through the youth welfare office or the social welfare office, depending on the type of disability. This support can be provided as part of child and youth welfare or social assistance. However, the application process is often complicated, meaning that many families are overwhelmed by the financial burden of necessary support services. In Aron's case, the family urgently needs help to cover the monthly costs of school support, which are estimated at 8,000 euros.

Fight for support

For Sylvia Handel, this fight against the system is an enormous burden that robs her of the energy that she urgently needs for her son. Despite the challenges, she remains optimistic and fights tirelessly for the rights of Aron and those like him. It is important to know that it is possible to object to rejected applications, which in many cases leads to the applications being re-examined. The calculation of the parents' income can also play a role, although numerous factors have to be taken into account.

Aron's case is tragic and shines a light on the difficulties that many parents of children with special needs have in accessing necessary assistance. The country's upcoming decisions may be crucial to school integration and the well-being of the little boy and other children on the autism spectrum.

Further details on integration assistance can be found at Autism culture, which provides comprehensive information about support services. Also reported LVZ about the dramatic situation of Aron and his mother. Her story is a powerful call to support families in similar situations.