Parents of vulnerable autistic children have complained after their petition for better educational provision was rejected by Glasgow City Council.

Members of action group Parents and Carers Together (PACT) for Autism submitted their concerns to the local authority earlier this year.

They said their children's needs were not being met in mainstream school and they were being put at risk.

The Evening Times reported that vulnerable children were self-harming and running away, with one seven-year-old lying down in the middle of a dual carriageway.

Their parents presented a 1080-signature petition, putting forward six main points to education bosses and council leaders.

Among them were concerns about lack of staff, exclusion of their kids from school activities, more appropriate activities for their children and an increased awareness of autism by teaching staff.

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Their hopes were destroyed, however, when the council said the council said the petition couldn't be accepted as it covered the same topic as another received in the past 12 months.

The local authority also said that all children, regardless of their additional needs, must register with a mainstream primary school as a matter of policy only.

Now PACT for Autism chairwoman Sharon Burns has submitted an official complaint about the petition decision, and has vowed to keep fighting for the rights of autistic kids in Glasgow.

In the complaint, she wrote: "All 1,089 signatories have been denied the right to have their views and concerns taken into consideration due to another petition that had been submitted previously, which I very much feel are not [covering] the same points...I do not disagree with children being placed (or forced) into mainstream school settings.

"The key points raised in the petition and the 220 comments from the people of Glasgow included highlight huge concerns regarding the overall parents/carers and general public's concerns regarding the failings of our children and young people within education establishments in Glasgow."

Sharon has called for the petition to be reconsidered, and has vowed to resubmit it after the 12 month period has passed if council bosses refuse.

SNP councillor Gerry Boyle agreed that the petition should be reconsidered, and said: "The petition highlights a problem these children are having. "People bare horrified about what's happening but they are not. they have missed the whole purpose of the petition.

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"It is to highlight a problem, not to go through a procedure.

"It needs to be addressed."

A council spokesman said: "The rules for petitions clearly state that a petition will be declined if the same issue has been considered by the committee in the previous 12 months.

"A petition on additional support for learning for children with autism was previously considered in December 2015 and so the PACT petition was declined.

"Ms Burns has twice been invited to discuss her concerns with senior education staff but on both occasions we received no response from her.

"However, the offer remains open and we have invited Ms Burns to a meeting once more.

"Last year's petition resulted in the creation of a forum where parents are involved in discussions on the policy and practice for meeting additional support needs.

"Parents were made aware of the forum and asked to register their interest in joining, but no request to join was made by PACT or Ms Burns."