Parent, Greater Manchester

From a very young age my Autism was missed at school, and then later dismissed, I was told to “bite the bullet”, “just get on with it like everyone else does”. I was bullied in both primary and secondary school, with no repercussions from the staff to these bullies. I was given detentions when I told teachers I was too anxious to go to my lessons, the same teachers tried to physically drag me to these lessons. For the first 3 years of my time in secondary school I spent almost every day in the sick room or the library as I couldn’t bring myself to go to lessons where I wasn’t supported. This was until I refused to go anymore and I was effectively “home schooled” as I was still on roll but no longer attended. I learned enough at home to attend my GCSE’s at the end of secondary school and attained A*s to Bs in all of my chosen subjects.

I was kept on roll and effectively home schooled for the last 2 and a half years of my secondary school years as my mother was never informed that it was possible to deregister.

Provide more funding for SEN children and make sure the funding is implemented correctly by schools and that they are properly trained to deal with neurodivergence and medical conditions.