Mum elated with son's new school package

A mother whose autistic son was getting just one hour of school a day has said she "cannot believe" he will finally get the care and education he needs.

Roxanne said six-year-old Franklin was rejected by three different specialist schools before the start of the new term in September.

But she received a phone call last week from Suffolk County Council, to say her son had been approved for two alternative provision units and would receive tutoring at their home in Martlesham.

"We are absolutely elated," she said.

"I can't describe the feeling of how intense the whole journey has been to this point."

Franklin was diagnosed with autism in November 2025, four years after Roxanne started the process of getting him assessed.

For the last few months of his first school year, she said he was there for just one hour a day, with teachers deciding he could not settle in the classroom.

This term, he has been in a mainstream school for one hour and 50 minutes per day.

Roxanne said it would take some time to get used to the new setup.

"I don't think I'll know what to do with myself if I'm completely honest! I've been with Franklin the whole time. He's like my little shadow," she said.

"We're going to support him through this transition as a family and get to grips with it all.

"But for him being out of the house for three hours in the mornings, Monday to Friday, is just going to be absolutely crazy."

Roxanne still plans to take Suffolk County Council to a tribunal next year, in an effort to get permanent support and funding in place for Franklin.

The government recently approved Suffolk's plans to reform its support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

Under the proposals, so-called "inclusion bases" would be set up in mainstream schools in Suffolk to help teachers "intervene earlier".

"My biggest hope is that the local authority can actually deliver what they've proposed. So time will tell," added Roxanne.

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