A profound breach of safeguarding protocols has left a family terrified and a community demanding answers after a five-year-old autistic boy was allegedly abandoned by his school bus driver in Westminster.
The incident, which occurred on Monday, 13th May, saw the young child, who is non-verbal, left alone on a pavement after the driver reportedly failed to ensure he was handed over to a responsible adult.
His mother, Sanaa Saboui, recounted the moment of sheer panic when she arrived at his stop to find him missing. "My heart just dropped," she told reporters. "I was running around the streets screaming his name. It was the worst feeling of my life."
A Catastrophic Failure of Care
The boy, a pupil at Hyde Park School, which caters for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), relies on a strict routine and is unable to communicate his needs or whereabouts. The driver's alleged failure to follow the fundamental 'care to custody' procedure—ensuring a child is physically received by a parent or guardian—constitutes a serious safeguarding failure.
Ms. Saboui was eventually guided to her distressed son by a member of the public who had found him wandering alone. The child was reportedly "crying and confused," having been left to fend for himself for a harrowing period.
Operator Under Fire
The bus was operated by Transport for London (TfL), which subcontracts the route to private firm Edwards Coaches. Both entities have launched urgent investigations into the conduct of the driver, who has since been suspended pending the outcome.
A TfL spokesperson stated: "We are appalled by this incident and are working with the police and the school to investigate immediately. The safety of children on our contracted routes is our absolute priority."
The incident has raised serious questions about the training and protocols enforced for drivers responsible for vulnerable children. Local councillors and child safety advocates have called for a full review of contracted school transport services across the borough.
