Covid: ‘We’re so proud of how Bertie bounced back’

The parents of a five-year-old boy with autism have spoken about their pride in his progress since he started school.

Bertie, from Loughborough, who is non-verbal, began school in September 2020 after a challenging lockdown that saw him deprived of his special needs playgroup, autism outreach and speech therapy.

However, since joining school he has thrived and was recently shortlisted for Young Person of the Year at a national awards ceremony to recognise the achievements of young people with complex disabilities, run by the charity Sense.

“When I think about how proud I am, it just makes me that emotional,” his mum Laura said.

Video journalists: Chris Waring and Elise Chamberlain

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