Published Thursday, 12 January 2012
Travis Henderson looks like any other four-year-old boy, but he was diagnosed with autism in May last year.
It is a life-long disorder which affects his ability to communicate with others, verbally and socially - and is suffered by more than 30,000 people in Northern Ireland.
After Travis was diagnosed, the battle to find him the right school began.
There's a great kid sitting there and he is just not being given a chance and that's heartbreaking
Kevin Henderson, Travis's dad
He was first assessed to see exactly what he needed and that was care in a special social and communications unit.
A primary school close to the family's home provided just that, but his parents Keith and Roberta were left devastated when they were told there was no room.
"He has been robbed of his chance of an education," Roberta Henderson told UTV.
"He has been robbed of his rights to have what every other child in Northern Ireland has or gets, a normal education."
Keith Henderson added: "You really want to beat your head against the wall, just absolute total bureaucracy, penny pinching and being constantly told 'we don't have any money, it's not in our budgets' is absolutely infuriating."
Travis currently attends a nearby mainstream school - Loughview Integrated Primary - and is in a class of 30 children.
He should be in a much smaller group because lots of noise and a lot of things going on is simply too distressing for him.
The Hendersons can't take Travis too far from home as routine is vital to keeping his condition in check and any change could be detrimental.
His father said: "Travis thrives on his routine, changes to that do take time to bed in.
"It can be very, very challenging - it can result in a lot of temper tantrums, frustration from him which then upsets the home life as well."
The Southern Education and Library Board says it does not comment on individual children.
Just over 4,500 children with autism in local schools and more are being diagnosed.
The government is aware that special needs provision is an area that needs looked at and is being reviewed, meanwhile the Education Minister says more money is now in the pot for schools.
Many parents are hoping some of that will go towards helping build a better future for children like Travis.
But in the meantime the Hendersons have vowed to fight on.
Roberta said: "As a parent we will not stop this fight, you wouldn't expect a parent with a child who has cancer to give up on them so we will not give up on Travis, neither will we give up on the hope of a proper education for our son."