AFTER months of worrying her disabled son's learning was falling behind a mother said she is relieved he has been offered a special school place.

Four-year-old Oliver Johnson, from Didcot, was struck down last February after suffering a number of seizures that left him in a hospital bed for seven months.

Doctors found the youngster had meningoencephalitis – both meningitis and a swelling on the brain – which completely knocked out his ability to walk, eat and speak.

Since he left hospital in August mum Suzanna has been in talks with Oxfordshire County Council to find a special school space for Oliver once he finished rehabilitation care in November.

But Mrs Johnson had heard nothing about any available schooling by January and spoke of her frustrations to the Oxford Mail in late January.

Days later she received the call she had been waiting for to confirm Oliver had been given a place at Kingfisher School in Abingdon.

Mrs Johnson said: "I am really happy that Oliver has finally been given a place but more than that I am just relieved.

"It is just one more box ticked off the list now that he has got a place, although I am anxious of when it is going to start."

Mrs Johnson said she had been speaking with the county council for months but had been told a lack of places was slowing the process and Oliver may not get a place until September.

She feared this could mean Oliver's learning would fall behind, adding "it's crucial in the first two years to have as much rehab, treatment and education as possible".

Mrs Johnson also described the difficulties she faces with Oliver's round-the-clock care, on top of looking after one year old daughter Isobelle.

She added: "It is really good news to find out he has a place, but we don’t know when that will be yet.

"It is just frustrating as they said he would be in school by January but that has been and gone, its February and there was no home schooling set up.

"It does feel as though if I hadn’t had an article in the paper it wouldn’t have happened.

"It just proves they have got the ability to get something sorted, there shouldn’t be the need to have to put it in the paper first."

Oxfordshire County Council Owen Morton said: "We are continuing to work closely with the family to ensure Oliver gets the support he needs both in and outside of school."

Prior to confirming Oliver had been given a school place, Oxfordshire County Council said it had been working hard to find the youngster a place in the family's preferred special school.