21/02/2026
I've recently had to cut more hours so I can fight for my son. Please help me so I can continue to make homes sparkle. The petition link is in the post below.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16ofFPtgpk/
A Hampshire mother says she is being forced into a tribunal battle after being told her non-verbal autistic son must move to a mainstream junior school, despite written warnings that his needs cannot be met safely.
Mason, seven, is currently in Year 2 at a mainstream infant school, but from September, when he moves into Year 3, his mother, Joanne Palmer, says Hampshire County Council has again proposed a mainstream placement, arguing there is no specialist space available.
Mrs Palmer, a photographer from Basingstoke, says the family has consulted several schools as part of Mason’s Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) review.
“We’ve had consultations with nearly 10 schools. Every single one has said they cannot meet Mason’s needs — either because they don’t have space or because his needs are so severe they are worried about safety.”
One school raised concerns about how staff would manage if Mason became overwhelmed, had a meltdown or attempted to leave the classroom.
Mason is non-verbal, has significant learning difficulties and requires personal care.
According to his mother, he is working academically at around Reception level and needs constant one-to-one supervision.
In his current setting, she says he copes because learning is more play-based and structured around routine.
“He knows his routine. He goes in, hangs up his coat and bag. The children in his class are lovely with him. But he doesn’t really have friends. He can’t communicate in the way they do.”
However, she fears the move to a larger junior school would be overwhelming.
“He would likely be learning one-to-one outside the classroom, possibly in a corridor. That’s not the right environment for him. He needs to be around children with similar needs and trained staff who understand how to support him.”
The family began the EHCP review process last summer, submitting a list of preferred specialist schools. They say they waited months for a decision, only to be told mainstream was the only option.
“It’s frustrating and upsetting. We feel like we’ve spent all this time trying to secure the right placement and nothing has really been done.”
She claims the named mainstream school has provided written confirmation that, even with additional funding, it cannot meet Mason’s needs.
The family has now begun mediation ahead of a tribunal appeal. Private assessments could strengthen their case, but Mrs Palmer says the cost runs into thousands of pounds.
“We shouldn’t have to fund that ourselves. No family should.”
If Mason cannot secure a specialist placement, she fears she may have to give up work to keep him at home.
“I’d rather keep him at home than send him somewhere he won’t cope. But then I lose my income.”
Mrs Palmer, who also has two older children with autism, Caitlyn (14) and Lucas (12) who are thriving in mainstream education, stressed that every child’s needs are different.
“Mainstream works for some children with SEND — my other two are proof of that. But for children with severe learning difficulties like Mason, it’s just not right.”
She has launched an online petition and contacted local MPs in a bid to highlight what she believes is a wider shortage of specialist provision across Hampshire.
“With all the new housing being built, where are the new schools? Where are the new special schools? There’s been a significant rise in autism diagnoses. The facilities just aren’t there.”
She added that inappropriate placements affect both SEND and non-SEND pupils.
“It’s not fair on Mason, and it’s not fair on the other children if the environment isn’t right for anyone.
“They always blame budget. But this is children’s futures. Once you get an autism diagnosis, it feels like you’re handed a leaflet and that’s it. The real fight starts after that.”
A spokesperson for Hampshire County Council said the authority does not comment on individual cases but “strives to deliver the very best” for all children, including those with SEND.
They said demand for specialist provision is rising both locally and nationally, with the number of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) in Hampshire increasing by 243 per cent since 2015.
The council said growing demand and increasingly complex needs make securing suitable placements more challenging.
The spokesperson added: “However, we always endeavour to achieve the very best outcomes for individual families and to ensure that children and young people with special educational needs receive the right support in the right place.
“Where we are unable to place a child in a preferred setting due to limited availability, we will continue to explore alternative options and put arrangements in place to ensure that the child’s needs continue to be met in the interim, while this work is ongoing.”
The council said it is investing in additional provision, including plans to create 1,000 new specialist places by 2030 as part of a wider SEND transformation programme.
✍Original copy via Local Democracy Service by Natalia Forero
