An autistic teenager died just days after transitioning from school to college, an inquest has heard.
Aylish Louise Stewart was found hanging at her home in Ushaw Moor, County Durham. The 17-year-old died at the University Hospital of North Durham on March 8 last year.
An inquest into her death heard how Aylish, who had autism, ADHD and anxiety, had attended Durham Trinity School in Durham for around five years and had a placement three days a week at Misty Blue Farm in Spennymoor.
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The school focuses on educating pupils with autism or profound, moderate, severe or complex learning difficulties.
Durham & Darlington Coroner's Court heard how discussions about her moving on to college had began in 2019 but were delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Preparations began for her to transition to Thornbeck College in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, on March 1 last year.
The hearing, which is being held in Crook, County Durham, heard how Aylish was believed to be stronger and more resilient by members of staff at Durham Trinity School compared to when she first attended in 2017.
The inquest heard how Aylish lost three weeks of introduction at Thornbeck College but Durham Trinity School did not feel it was necessary to delay the transition.
Claire Taylor, special needs co-ordinator at the school, said Aylish was a "totally different girl" to when she first met her and they had been talking about the transition since September 2021.
She said: "She was asking to go so no, I had no concern."
Ms Taylor said she was "excited" about the prospect of Aylish going to college. She said: "Yes it's not done very often, not in my experience anyway. Not as far as I'm aware."
The coroner's court heard how, following her transfer, Aylish did not want to go to college. She became anxious and missed Joanne Haswell, a staff member who she worked with on a one-to-one basis at Durham Trinity School.
The hearing heard how Aylish's mum Julie contacted Durham Trinity School and requested to speak to staff about the situation.
When Ms Taylor was asked whether Durham Trinity College should have informed the college about what was happening, she said she believed the information about transport should have been provided by Aylish's mum.
She said: "My responsibility was to deal with the transport. I dealt with the transport. She was always going to miss Joanne."
Ms Taylor agreed that what members of staff had experienced at school might not have been the same as what Aylish's mum had experienced at home.
Sonya McCarthy, special needs teacher and emotional wellbeing leader at Durham Trinity School, also gave evidence to the inquest.
She said she was "mindful" of the three week delay in introducing Aylish to the college and said: "I think it will have had a negative impact."
Ms McCarthy said she had misgivings about a plan to up Aylish's medication. She said she was concerned about the impact it could have on her as she was not consistent in taking her medication.
Ms Taylor said she was not aware of the concerns and agreed that it would've been helpful for her to be made aware of them.
Coroner Crispin Oliver asked Ms Taylor if she had any concerns about the transition and if she had any sense that Thornbeck College did not have enough information. She replied: "no" to both questions.
The inquest previously heard how Dr Jennifer Ness had conducted a post-mortem examination at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle and gave the cause of death as being pressure on the neck due to hanging.
The inquest, which is listed for five days, continues.
