The autistic children who face a daily risk from living in a high rise block

Her face still haunts the families who knew her - Nawaal Sayid, the seven-year-old girl with severe learning difficulties who fell 120ft to her death from a tower block.

Yet despite the tragedy in June 2013, the same London borough is still failing to rehouse other children with severe autism who face similar dangers.

Two families assessed by Islington Council as having "urgent safety needs" with "severe risk of harm" just weeks after Nawaal's death, are still waiting for somewhere safe to live.

This is despite the fact they "lack a sense of danger" and are "drawn to windows and balconies, and will try to jump out".

Now, almost three years on, two of the families have turned to the Crowd Justice website to raise money for a legal appeal against Islington's children's department.

The sheer drop faced by Mrs J's daughter Amira every day

It comes against the backdrop of a London mayoral election being bitterly fought over the capital's housing crisis.

Mrs J, the mother of one of the children, whose name I have changed to Amira, told me: "My daughter goes to the same special school Nawaal went to and was the same age.

"We all remember when Nawaal died. She was like our neighbour. We are frightened the same thing will happen to Amira."

Read more: Girl killed after falling from 11th floor of tower block as mum answered door

Mrs J shows me the steep drop faced by her daughter, now aged 10, every time she leaves or arrives at their flat.

"It is only the first floor, but the drop would kill her," she says. "There is a little ledge where she puts her foot to climb up.

"She's tall for her age and she can climb over. She likes to look down from the balcony.

"It's a communal stairway where dealers sell drugs, and teenagers smoke and throw food and drink cartons away. There is often disgusting urine on the stairs from the addicts. Like many autistic children, Amira touches everything she finds and puts it in her mouth. It's so dangerous. Every time we go to school or to the shop it is a nightmare."

Mrs J has rheumatoid arthritis, meaning it is even more difficult for her to keep her daughter safe in the stairwell and on the balcony.

Meanwhile, the family have to keep the windows locked at all times.

The lack of air has worsened condensation and mould in the property - badly affecting one of Amira's brothers who has asthma.

Amira's solicitor Rebekah Carrier shows me documents explaining why the family has not been moved. In June 2014, the council stated "the risk of fatality is not as imminent as in other families".

Another document from October 2014 says: "There is no evidence to suggest that a fall would be any more fatal than to any other person who was to fall." Amira's family say the issue is whether she is more likely to fall due to her different sense of risk.

Nawaal Sawid

When Nawaal Sayid fell on June 25, 2013, it was revealed that Islington had received repeated warnings from professionals, including occupational therapists, a consultant pediatrician and support workers, that Nawaal was at risk.

One professional had written in 2010: "It is not a case of if Nawaal falls, but when. This family should be given the highest priority in getting a new flat. This situation is far too dangerous as an accident will be fatal. A child is being put in extreme danger every minute of every single day that she is at home."

Today, it appears few lessons have been learned. As well as Amira, Rebekah Carrier is also representing a second child with autism, who has a severely disabled older brother.

"They also live in very unsuitable housing in Islington where they can't be kept safe," Carrier says. "The council also assessed them as having 'urgent safety needs' almost three years ago."

Earlier this year the families brought judicial review proceedings against the council. The High Court agreed that "as the children get older and stronger, no doubt the risks will become greater", and that the claimants' mothers have "real fears for their children's safety". But the case failed. The families believe they have a strong case for appeal, and the mothers say they can't give up.

"We are desperate to move before something happens to my daughter," Mrs J says. "She is in danger here every day."

An Islington Council spokesman said: "We completely understand these families' desire to move. Relevant plans and joint working between council services were and are in place. The High Court was satisfied with the council's system to deal with their safety. There is very high demand on council housing and many families with high levels of need."

There are now just four days left to help fund the families' appeal.