the essential
At the dawn of his 10th birthday, Louka, a child suffering from several pathologies, can no longer attend a regular school. Due to a lack of space in a specialized establishment, he is now stuck at home, with no prospect of admission.
“He was in an ‘urgent situation’ when he was still in school in the spring, but since he has been home, the situation has become less urgent. We should have left him at school, even at the risk of put in danger, so that it remains urgent?” Louka is a 9-year-old boy suffering from autism spectrum disorder, Gilles de la Tourette syndrome and attention deficit disorder (ADHD). Over the years, his behavior made him unfit to attend classes in a mainstream school.
His specialized educator, Maxime, observes this deterioration: “He is on edge, quickly changes his mood when he is frustrated. The slightest frustration triggers anger that he cannot manage. He can put himself in danger, he has even been taken out of school several times. An ordinary establishment is no longer suitable for him, because the staff are not capable of managing his crises.
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Attended part-time last year at the Pavie school, Louka was taken out of school by his parents in May due to too many crises: “It was unmanageable. He has a notification for schooling in a specialized establishment and a medical certificate attesting that he can no longer take classes in traditional school. The problem is that there is no place,” explains his mother, Jennifer.
From hope to disappointment
Last spring, after a first article warning about Louka’s situation, meetings with institutions increased, a real source of hope for parents. Ultimately, no satisfactory solution was proposed, only part-time schooling in a neighboring school, without interaction with his classmates: “We had to bring him at 9 a.m. and pick him up at 12 p.m. so that he would not not interact with the other children in the playground He should have spent recess in class with an AESH (educational assistant, Editor’s note). This is not manageable in our schedule either,” says Emilien, his father. . “The school staff are not trained, and the establishment is located near the Gers, which is dangerous in the event of another runaway.”
The option was refused by the family, but in order not to leave Louka without schooling, a request for lessons at home (CNED) is in progress while waiting for a lasting solution. A situation very badly experienced by the family: “It’s dramatic and alarming. We must not leave this young person wandering any longer. The family is on the verge of explosion. When I go to their house, the tension is palpable” , confides the educator.
“He asks to be with people his own age”
Since May, Louka has been forced to stay at home, a difficult situation for a 9-year-old child: “We decided that I will do a little school time with Louka, since he no longer has any. Every Wednesday morning, we go to the media library and do a physical activity. It’s his only activity of the week. I work with 20 young people, and he’s the only one who has no social connection. He tells me every week. wants to be with friends”, testifies his educator. “He becomes more and more withdrawn, no longer communicates and the situation deteriorates. I no longer have the relationship I had with my son,” concedes his mother.
Today, parents are at an impasse: “We were told that there would be no places in ITEP (Therapeutic, Educational and Pedagogical Institute, Editor’s note) before the end of 2025 or even the beginning of 2026. We are not closed to the boarding school. He must only be supervised by trained people, this is the only solution. We are simply looking for good support so that he flourishes.
“We did everything to indicate that this was a priority case”
“In Louka’s situation, there are several actors who can intervene so that a solution is found.” Farid Djemmal, academic director of national education services (Dasen) in Gers, explains: “When a student is notified for an ITEP or IME and there is no place, we, the school , we are trying to invent solutions: arranging timetables, delegating an AESH, requesting a care service, etc. But these solutions are temporary, because these students have needs that the school cannot satisfy. “
Dasen recalls that exceptional measures were put in place for Louka: “We involved EMAS (mobile schooling support team), mobilized partners (intervention of a psychiatrist) and our social worker is home. This is the first time that this has happened. A three-month schooling period is also planned. was a priority case.” While waiting for a solution to be found, the ordeal continues for Louka’s family.
