A five-year-old boy expelled for 'bad behaviour' will have spent a year at home before finally being allowed back to school.
Zac was just four-years-old when he was kicked out of his primary school for behavioural issues, including attacks on pupils and staff.
Mum Laura has slammed Worcestershire County Council for failing to find a spot for her son at a special needs school following his expulsion.
She had previously informed the council about Zac's undiagnosed educational needs and fought their attempts to place him in another mainstream school, the Mirror reports.
The 36-year-old, from Redditch even accused the local authority of "breaking the law" after the youngster reached compulsory school age - but was made to stay home.
However, Zac has now finally been offered a place at a new autism unit at Chaddesley Corbett school in Kidderminster.
Laura told The Mirror: “The council have now offered Zac a school place and we will start the slow process of reintegration after the next half term, with an aim to start full time in September.”
Worcestershire County Council has been approached for comment.
Although Laura is pleased that Zac is finally returning to the classroom, she voiced concerns that her son will have missed out on almost a year of full-time education.
She said: “September is a long time away. He’s fallen behind. He can’t read or write at the moment.
“He should know how to write his name and he should be starting to read. His name is only three letters and he can’t write that. It’s sad.
“It’s affecting his development massively. Socially he’s not where he should be at. He’s going to find it harder to socialise with children now.”
Laura previously said her son had spent so much time in the house that he was scared to go outside.
Just days before receiving the news about Zac’s place, Laura told The Mirror that Worcestershire County Council had "broken the law" by missing the deadline to get her son back into school.
She said: “The law states that the term after their fifth birthday they should be in education.
“Jack turned five in February so on April 26 he should’ve been back in school as that’s when the kids went back after Easter.
“It’s so frustrating. They have had since October to sort this out.
"Worcestershire County Council has broken the law now.
“If as a parent I didn’t send my son to school when they turned five I would be taken to court - or they would want to know why he wasn’t in school.”
Zac was expelled from Holly Hill Church School, in Rubery, Worcs, within five weeks of joining reception class.
He was booted out over a number of behaviour problems, including attacks on other pupils and staff.
Laura explained that her life has been on hold for the past seven months while looking after Zac at home.
She has not been able to work because she does not have anyone around who is able to watch him.
Although she has tried to teach him at home, Zac quickly loses interest.
Laura is speaking out to raise awareness about the difficulties in accessing proper education for children with special needs.
She said parents face a "postcode lottery" as councils have different policies for special educational needs.
The mum claimed that while Birmingham City Council would have offered her son alternative education immediately after his expulsion, this was not an option in Worcestershire.
Zac spent months at home as Worcestershire County Council did not have a legal duty to find him a new school until his fifth birthday.
Laura previously said she thought the UK's compulsory school age should be lowered to four-years-old to ensure children stay in education once they start school.
Worcestershire councillor Marcus Hart, cabinet member for education, apologised in response to Laura’s claim that the council had "broken the law".
He added: “We are sorry that Zac has yet to start his new school this term and we acknowledge this delay brings continued frustration to both Zac and their family.
“Our SEN (special educational needs) service are communicating directly with Ms Jordan to confirm interim support for Zac, a school placement that is right to meet his needs and the start date for this.“
Mr Hart previously acknowledged that the law required all children to start full-time education by the beginning of the term following their fifth birthday.
In March, he told The Mirror that he hoped to have Zac ready to start school in April.
A Department for Education spokesperson previously said: “Suspensions and permanent exclusions should only be used as a last resort, but we back headteachers to suspend or exclude pupils where it is necessary and helps maintain calm classrooms.
“We are consulting on changes to behaviour and exclusions guidance to make sure this is used in a fair way, and the cross-government SEND Review will further consult on how children with special educational needs and disabilities are supported by the system, including in alternative provision.”
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