Councils are failing to put adequate alternative education in place for the growing numbers of children in England who are unable to attend school because of social anxiety, according to a report by the local government ombudsman.
Many have complex special educational needs and are unable to go to school because there are no suitable places available in their area, meaning they can go months and even years without any proper alternative arrangements, the report said.
In one case, an autistic boy with extreme anxiety who was unable to attend his mainstream school was given just five hours a week online tuition in English and maths for a year, with no proper consideration for how he might study for the rest of his GSCE subjects.
