November 14, 1975

REDDITCH'S problem children are having to travel hundreds of miles from home for special schooling, a report disclosed this week.

And this is creating difficulties for child care officers, parents and the children themselves.

The report reveals that 40 children were suspended from Redditch and Worcestershire last year - a five-fold increase on the year before.

At present, over 20 boys are waiting for placements in special schools.

"Even this is an understatement," says the report, "these are the ones ascertained as maladjusted, others are not so they remain in ordinary schools and are disruptive and troublesome and they adversely affect the staff and other pupils.''

Trying to find places for these children is a pointless exercise, it goes on, because no out-county school would take them.

But local county councillor and member of the education committee Tom Wareing said: "Being a new town we have special problems, we tend to attract more social problems."

He said it was completely in the interest of the community to rehabilitate these children.