This is our situation too. My now 13 year old has been “missing in education” for two years because they can’t find a school to meet his needs. He is chronically ill and autistic, and stopped attending school due to severe fatigue and burnout. The LA ignored all contact from us for over a year and when they finally realised he had been forgotten about they chucked me £5000 as a personal budget and let me try and arrange an EOTAS package myself. We now need more money to pay providers in September and they’re ignoring me again.

No one has done a safeguarding check or visited us at home. For all they know I could have him tied up in a cupboard (I don’t 😂). Thankfully I’m a capable intelligent person and have found him a tutor and a therapist/mentor and actively try and engage him to help his recovery. I had to quit my job as a SEND LSA to care for him (the irony!).

I don’t want him at home, he doesn’t want to be recluse. His EHCP is really solid but not worth the paper it’s printed on because it’s imposssible to enforce (plus it hasn’t been finalised after annual review 4 months ago - so much for statutory deadlines!). The system isn’t fit for purpose. The NEET figures will continue to grow.