A FATHER-of-two is desperately appealing to the council to educate his autistic son as he only has one hour of tuition a week.

Justin Monk took custody of his children in 2014 and since then his son, Michael, 13, has had minimal tutoring from the special needs school allocated by Hampshire County Council.

His daughter Keeley, nine, was accepted by a school in Andover but, due to Michael’s autism, finding a school for him was difficult.

The teenager had previously gone to a special needs school near Reading. On moving to Andover Mr Monk suggested Mark Way School as an option but the application was declined with the school rated unsuitable for his needs.

Eight months later he was allocated a place at Lakeside School more than 20 miles away in Chandler’s Ford.

He attended one day the first week, then for a full week and after the first day of the third week he has refused to attend.

“He doesn’t like travelling. He won’t even get on the bus to go into town,” Mr Monk said describing Michael’s autism. “He doesn’t like meeting new people. He has got sensory problems so he doesn’t like to touch or be touched and he doesn’t make eye contact.

“When he did the full week he was coming home quite happy. He seemed to enjoy it,” the 40-year-old, of Cricketers Way, added.

“I got him up the following Monday and he went to school. Then the next day I got him up and said: “Are you going to school?” and he said no. He came down for some cereal and went back upstairs to his room and he refused to go.

“I told the school and they put a taxi on to get him for a week. The taxi driver even said I could go with him. He just refused to come out of his room. He has refused ever since. I’ve tried everything to get him to go to school but he just won’t go. He refuses point blank.

“If school had been introduced gradually he would have stayed but he was thrown in at the deep end.”

The former Test Valley Borough Council employee has since been trying get Michael into a special needs school in Andover but as Lakeside have now co-ordinated one hour of home tuition a week from a visiting tutor, he is classed as being in education.

“It has been too long to be out of school,” he said. “He needs school. I have fallen into depression. He has fallen into depression. He is not living. He’s existing.

“I want him to have an education, the company of other children and to enjoy his school work.”

The situation has impacted on the rest of the family with Mr Monk having to give up his job to be at home.

He has been fined for failing to send Michael to school. The crisis restricts Keeley’s life and what the family can do together. A spokesperson for Hampshire County Council said: “For reasons of confidentially, we cannot comment on an individual case. Support to resolve the issues is available, and we recommend the family to seek support through the Hampshire Local Offer and Support4SEND service.”

Mr Monk is now liaising with support4SEND.