Mum despairs over lack of school for autistic son

The mother of a five-year-old autistic boy has said she is despairing after he was left without any suitable school provision.

Axel was due to start primary school in Dorset last September after being offered a place at the family's first-choice.

But the offer was withdrawn in July 2024 after his Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) recommended one-to-one support – which the school said it could not provide. Since then, Axel has remained at home

Dorset Council said it was important to find education suitable for each child but that "sometimes this takes longer than we would like".

Axel, who is non-verbal and has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), finds unfamiliar environments extremely challenging, according to his mum Carly.

"His social skills are going downhill," she said.

"It's awkward for us to meet up with friends with other kids because I just don't know how he's going to be with them.

"It's so lonely for him at the moment."

Carly said she felt let down by Dorset Council and was frustrated by the lack of communication.

"By law, the term after a child turns five years old, they should be in a school setting," she said.

"A year on and we are still no closer to knowing where he'll end up.

"The people that should be there to put these things in place just aren't there. The communication is poor."

She said being at home full-time to care for Axel was taking a toll on her wellbeing and leaving her unable to work or access respite care.

"It is hard. So hard. I've reached out for respite because I'm just struggling to cope," she said.

"Just trying to do everyday things is just so hard when he's with me all the time.

"And I feel awful for saying that because I'm his mum - but the reality is that he should be somewhere where he's getting the support he needs."

Axel's case has been taken up by Lib Dem MP Vikki Slade.

She used Deputy Prime Minister's Questions last week to tell Angela Rayner there was no alternative provision for younger people like Axel and hundreds of others in her constituency.

Slade said: "I know the councils are doing all they can but long-term failure to fund schools properly means that schools cannot manage children who need some extra support, and so they get forced out and councils don't have the places to send these children".

Responding to the Mid Dorset and North Poole MP's concerns, Rayner said: "I am really sorry to hear about Axel.. Those with special educational needs deserve proper support and should not be left at home.

"We are determined to fix the SEND system and support children before issues escalate to this type of crisis point."

Paul Dempsey, Dorset Council's executive director for children's services, said: "We do not comment publicly on the cases of individual children or young people, but we do look at each of them individually when they need extra support at school and talk to their families about the care and education we are able to provide for them.

"Sometimes this takes a little longer than we would like but it is really important to find education that is suitable for each individual child."

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