‘It’s just not good enough’ – mum who applied to nine different schools for autistic son offered one 35km away

Alex Plaxton (12) now has a place in a local school, but in a mainstream class

Mother of 12-year-old with autism discusses worry of getting suitable school placement

Ellen Coyne

A Kildare mother has been left scrambling for a specialist autism class for her son with additional needs, amid a big shortage of secondary-school places in the north of the county.

Grainne Plaxton said she has been unable to find a first-year place in an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) class anywhere in the county for her 12-year-old son Alex, who is autistic.