Mother feels abandoned as she battles to get a school place for her son with autism

Loreta Rackyte and her son Kai Gordon, 13, who has special needs and is still without a school place. Kai should have started first year in secondary school six weeks ago. Picture: Moya Nolan

The mother of a 13-year-old boy with autism and a mild intellectual disability has said she feels abandoned and embarrassed that her son remains without a school place, seven weeks on from schools returning. 

“If he was in school and If I had taken him away for three or four weeks, Tusla would be all over me, they would be sending me letters or knocking at my door asking why is this child not in school,” said Loreta Rackyte.