A crisis of absence among autistic pupils has been laid bare in a new survey, with one in six failing to set foot in a classroom since September. The alarming statistics are revealed by Ambitious About Autism, which gathered responses from nearly 1,000 autistic young people and their families across the country.
Mental health issues are behind the high absence rates, with 62% of absent pupils citing such concerns as the reason for missing school. A further 30% were too unwell to attend, while one in five felt their school placement was unsuitable. Shockingly, nearly half (45%) of parents and children surveyed reported feeling 'blamed' by the government for these absences – a stark illustration of a perceived lack of understanding and support.
The data comes as the government prepares to unveil its plans to reform the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system in England. The expected measures aim to improve provision within mainstream schools, but parents are concerned that any new investment may not be sufficient to create truly suitable environments for many autistic pupils. Approximately 70% of autistic pupils are educated in mainstream settings, yet high absence rates persist due to factors like anxiety and sensory overload.
A breakdown of the survey responses shows that beyond the 16.2% who had no school attendance, a third (32.8%) had missed between one and five days, while nearly 12% had been absent for more than two weeks. These figures significantly outstrip national absence rates for children without special needs. Department for Education data revealed autistic children missed nearly 11% of sessions, with over 28% classified as persistently absent, compared to just 14% of children without special needs.
Jolanta Lasota, Chief Executive of Ambitious About Autism, called for mainstream schools to be equipped with the necessary knowledge and confidence to support autistic pupils. She also stressed that access to specialist support must remain available when needed – echoing the experiences of families like Sarah Greaves, whose 13-year-old son Sam is now home-educated due to 'autistic burnout' following a challenging transition to secondary school.