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Available for over a year

The mother of a child with special educational needs says she has had sleepless nights over a battle with Birmingham City Council to secure her preferred school place. Amber's daughter Ruby has autism spectrum disorder, is non-verbal, and has an eating disorder called Pica, in which sufferers eat non-food items. Birmingham City Council offered the four-year-old a place in a mainstream primary school for this September. The school has a "requires improvement" Ofsted rating, including ineffective support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The mother-of-three from Kitts Green had listed a nearby special school as her preferred setting, which she believed had places for September's intake. The local authority said decisions are based on evidence gathered as part of a needs assessment, in line with the SEND code of practice and associated legislation.