Autistic teen failed massively by council - mother

Ollie Carter, from Uckfield, East Sussex, has severe communication difficulties and uses sign language and technology to speak

An autistic teenager who has not been to school for seven years has been "failed massively" by the local council, according to his mother.

The family of Ollie Carter, 18, from Uckfield, have been using their own money and his disability benefits to pay for tutoring.

On Friday, his family took East Sussex County Council to a tribunal to try to get him a formal education that meets his needs.

The authority said it could not comment given the active tribunal.

Jennifer Carter said: "He's never been taught how to socialise in the outside world, because he's never had a school to go to to learn those skills."

She added: "Ollie has been failed massively. The family has been let down by the local education authority horrendously."

Through a smartphone app which he uses to communicate, Ollie said: "They have treated me like I barely exist and am only a drain on their resources."

He added: "I want to be able to at least support myself instead of having to rely solely on my family."

Ollie added everything he does is made possible due to having his mum or a specialist carer with him at all times, helping and reminding him what to do.

Ollie is learning to work with his assistance dog Lily

Ms Carter said the authority pays for a music tutor and and physio sessions for Ollie, and has offered home tutoring for maths and English as part of his education, health and care plan (EHCP) issued when he was 15.

However, she argues the arrangement is not suitable as the lessons "keep on stopping and starting".

"Obviously they're not consistent so Ollie really struggles to engage with them," she added.

Jo Hutchinson, director for SEND at the Education Policy Institute, said the amount of money received in each local area differs.

"It differs in ways which are not strongly connected to the current amount of need in their local authority, and generally there are shortages of special school places," she added.