One in six autistic pupils have not been to school at all since the start of this academic year, according to a new survey which found that mental health issues were often behind high levels of school absence.
Nearly half (45%) of the parents and children who responded to the UK-wide survey by the Ambitious About Autism charity said they felt “blamed” by the government for the absences.
Of those who missed school, 62% said it was due to mental health issues and 30% said they were too physically unwell to go to school. A fifth said their school place was not suitable.
The poll of nearly 1,000 autistic young people and their families comes as the government prepares to publish long-awaited plans to overhaul the speci
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