Liam Stedman and his brother Robin both have special needs

Parents of a child with severe learning disorders say they might sue their local council because it did not offer him a place in a special school.

Jacqui and Kevin Stedman of Essex said they have paid thousands of pounds to educate their son Liam, 8, at their home.

Liam, who has Asperger's syndrome, dyspraxia and dyslexia, started in mainstream schools but his parents withdrew him in 2001 because they said he could not cope.

Jacqui Stedman told BBC Look East: "It's outrageous, and we are appalled with how they've met our child's needs."

Second child

A tribunal found that Liam had not been properly assessed by the school, and efforts are underway to find him a specialist placement.

But Mrs Stedman worries about her younger son, Robin, who has the same conditions.

She told BBC Look East: "I've got another child with special needs as well and we're going through the same process."

Andre Imich, of the Essex County Council, said: "When parents choose to withdraw their children from school, we are disappointed.

"Even if we haven't got the right school placement at that moment in time, it does help us to understand the child more and to give them some good experiences."