Mum Fi Hyslop is battling to have education authorities take seriously the problems she is having with her son.

While she is trying to have nine-year-old Seth, who has Downs Syndrome, placed at Larkrise School in Trowbridge, education mandarins at County Hall say he is fine in the special unit at Wansdyke Primary School in Devizes.

She took her problem along to an open meeting of Devizes Contact a Family on Sunday, called An Evening with Liz, after the charity’s vice-chairman Liz Smith.

Mrs Hyslop says that she could never have coped with the problems of a being the mother of a child with special needs if it wasn’t for Contact a Family.

Mrs Hyslop, of St Mary’s Close, Potterne, said behavioural problems have blighted Seth’s school career and at every turn Mrs Hyslop finds herself battling with bureaucracy.

She told Sunday’s meeting: “We just love Larkrise and they are so keen to have Seth. But we got a letter from the education panel at County Hall saying that Seth was getting an acceptable education at his present primary school.

“They told me I can’t appeal their decision.”

After the meeting, Mrs Hyslop said: “The school in Devizes is wonderful but Seth has outgrown it.

“He has been excluded two or three times for bad behaviour. He just gets sent home, which is really no punishment. So if he gets fed up and wants to go home, he just acts up.

“At Larkrise he loved it as soon as he walked in. The panel just said it was not the right place for Seth but if the school is happy to have him, what right have they got to deprive him of a place?”

Colin Rossiter, the chairman of Devizes Contact a Family, said that she could, in fact, appeal and they would help her look into it.

Mrs Smith said: “There is so much anger among these parents because of the way they are treated by the system. Coming along to these meetings helps them see they are not alone. My aim is to give help and advice. The biggest thing Contact a Family is offering is friendship and mutual understanding.”

Mrs Hyslop added: “These meetings are very helpful. They show you you are not on your own.”

A spokesman for Wiltshire Council said decisions about the placement of special needs students follow an extensive assessment process.

He said: “All cases are reviewed at least annually. We will always endeavour to ensure the placement decided upon has the support of parents or carers, however, if they disagree we would encourage them to get in contact with us.”

Anyone interested in going to the meetings can contact Liz Smith on (01380) 721493 or Colin Rossiter on (01249) 461444. The next meeting is at the Nursteed Centre on June 24 at 6.30pm.