Wollongong special needs student left on school bus for 6 hours

The Incident

A special needs student in the Wollongong area experienced a serious safety incident when he was inadvertently left aboard a school bus for over six hours. The child had missed his scheduled drop-off at school and remained confined to the parked vehicle at a local depot throughout the day.

Discovery

Staff only discovered the situation when preparing the bus for afternoon service runs. After being located, the student was transported back to his school, where administrators immediately requested emergency medical assistance to evaluate his condition.

Media Coverage

The incident received coverage in the Sydney Morning Herald, highlighting concerns about supervision protocols for vulnerable students during school transportation.

The Need for Better Systems

This case demonstrates the critical need for robust safety systems and verification procedures, particularly for students who may be unable to advocate for themselves or alert others to their situation.