A survey by Ambitious About Autism shows one in six autistic students haven’t attended school this year. Nearly half of UK parents and children feel blamed by the government for these absences. Issues include mental health (62%), physical illness (30%), and unsuitable school placements (20%). This poll of nearly 1,000 autistic young people and their families comes as the government plans to overhaul the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system in England.

About 70% of autistic pupils are educated in mainstream schools, but absence rates are high due to anxiety, sensory overload and inadequate support.

Jolanta Lasota, the chief executive of Ambitious About Autism, said: “We cannot allow another generation of young people to miss out on opportunities to learn, thrive and achieve. We must ensure mainstream schools have the knowledge and confidence to support autistic pupils and these young people remain able to access specialist support when they need it.”