AN ANGRY mother has said her son feels "ashamed and hurt" after the decision was made to change his school bus provider.

Nikita Kennard said her medically disabled 16-year-old son, who has severe learning difficulties, was told he could no longer use LMS Travel to get to Regency High School due to 'behavioural' issues.

But she believes the real reason was due to her son's medical condition, which means he cannot control his bowels.

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Worcestershire County Council, which allocates school bus providers, and LMS Travel said they could not comment on individual cases.

LMS added its staff are trained to deal with a high range of children with varying needs.

Ms Kennard said: "My son said he feels ashamed and hurt the provider knew his problems but yet treated him like this.

"I am not happy that the company, who knows disabled kids will have either learning or medical disabilities, think it is ok to make him feel not equal."

Ms Kennard's son is reliant on the bus provider to get to school on a daily basis.

"If the new provider did not pick up my son, there would be no way of getting him to school because I do not drive and live on the other side of the bridge.

"When I received the letter from the council, what was going through my head was 'why my son'?

"He sings to the songs on the radio, and he talks to his mates - I felt really really angry.

"When they said it was because of his behaviour in the letter I received, I knew it was to do with his medical problems."

She also claims her son was made to sit on a mat on the bus because of his medical disabilities.

An LMS spokesperson said: "We are not in a position to comment on individual cases and we liaise directly with Worcestershire County Council on all matters as the contract commissioner.

"We have worked for the county council for many years providing transport for a range of clients with varying needs and all of our staff are trained to the high standards required by the county council."

Cllr Mike Rouse, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport at Worcestershire County Council, said sometimes the council would need to move children between operators.

A situation they always try and do in the most sensitive way possible.

Regency High School caters for pupils with a wide range of SEND, many of whom are entitled as part of their provision, to come to school using transport allocated by the Worcestershire County Council.

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Tania Dorman, Headteacher at Regency High School, said: "As a school, we work closely with parents, transport providers and the Local Authority SEN Transport Team to ensure the pupil's journeys to school are as successful as possible.

"Pupils will occasionally move from one route to another.

"When changes occur to passenger lists or transport routes, the Local Authority will keep us informed of changes.

"The school is not responsible for managing the passenger lists or the allocation of vehicles."

Mrs Kennard said her son is now 'very happy' with their new bus provider Worcester Wheels.