The mother of a boy with autism is giving up her job to teach him after being frustrated in her efforts to find him a suitable school placement.

Georgia Tanner's four-year-old son Cassius had been due to start primary school in September, with the mother-of-three hoping to secure him a place in a specialist resource base.

However, she fears her son is slipping through the cracks before he has even had the opportunity to begin due to the level of his needs.

Miss Tanner, of Thetford, said as he is high-functioning he does not fit the criteria for a special school - where he would share classrooms with youngsters whose needs are far more acute.

(Image: Georgia Tanner)

However, she added an education plan made for him requires 1:1 support 70pc of the time - which has created a barrier in to mainstream school.

Miss Tanner, said: "Every mainstream school we've visited I've come away in tears. It feels like as soon as they find out he is autistic they can't help.

"It feels as though we have been going around and around in circles."

While Miss Tanner is still fighting to find Cassius a place to meet his needs, she has given up her job as a marketing manager for a nursery chain to home-school him in the interim.

She added: "I know there are so many people in the same position as me and their children will just go into mainstream school and struggle."

Penny Carpenter, Norfolk County Council's cabinet member for children's servicesPenny Carpenter, Norfolk County Council's cabinet member for children's services (Image: Norfolk County Council)

Penny Carpenter, cabinet member for children's services at Norfolk County Council, said: "I sympathise with parents and carers who are facing uncertainty regarding placements for their children.

"We want every child and young person with educational needs and/or disabilities to flourish and will always work to find a place for a child who needs it.

"We continue to face challenges with special school capacity and that is why our Local First Inclusion programme is creating additional alternative provisions by building two more special schools and developing more specialist resource bases while supporting the majority of children within mainstream settings."