A Scots mum has hit out at the Government's 'phased return' to school plans saying children with additional needs are being 'forgotten'.
Deputy First Minister, John Swinney said a return to school was 'unlikely to be a binary choice' and said a phased return of pupils was likely.
The move would mean a cohort of pupils would return to school, while the majority would remain learning from home.
While Mr Swinney said only the youngest pupils and those with additional support needs would return to classrooms first.
Speaking on Good Morning Scotland, he said: "We are looking at all possible avenues to secure the resumption of face-to-face learning and we are looking at the way in which that may be delivered.
"We have said already that that is unlikely to be a binary choice - either everybody in or everybody out.
"It is much more likely to be a phased return where we will look at particular cohorts of pupils."
But the news has left some parents furious and one mum accused the Scottish Government of allowing children to be 'collateral damage'.
Paisley mum Danielle Haynes is currently trying to homeschool her seven-year-old son Emmett, who has non-verbal autism.
She says Emmett struggles when he is removed from his routine and says she feels that families with children coping with additional needs have been 'forgotten'.
She said: 'I know these decisions are really difficult and you are just never going to get it right for everyone, but children with additional needs are being forgotten about.
"Emmett hates going to school as it is, so for us it is always hard to get him to go, but the more it is in his routine the easier it is.
"But then we have a lockdown and although my husband is a keyworker, I am not, so Emmett can't go to school.
"When things keep changing again it's confusing for him and it sets him right back.
"I know that no decision is easy, but I just feel that these kids are collateral damage."
Following the summer lockdown the Scottish Government had a blended learning model in place for children which would have seen children in school for part of the week and learning at home for the other half. However, the decision was made at the eleventh hour to send all kids back full time.
But, even blended learning is no use, says Ayrshire mum, Lorna Duncan whose son Ollie, 13, also has additional needs.
She said: "That definitely doesn'’t work for children like Ollie. It's too confusing for him as he needs the same kind of routine and structure for learning. Things need to be same everyday."
An Scottish Government spokesperson said: "Those who work directly with children and young people with complex needs are best placed to determine the best learning environment for them during these exceptional phased opening arrangements.
"We have published updated guidance in January for councils, they are responsible for identifying and meeting the additional support needs of their pupils and determining the allocation of school places.
"Education Scotland have prepared and developed resource to support children and young people learning at home, including those with complex additional support needs.
