A VULNERABLE child missed five-and-a-half terms of education and two years of therapy because of council failures.
Staff at Worcestershire Children First showed a “bewildering” lack of basic knowledge, an investigation into the case has found.
Following a report by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO), Worcestershire County Council has agreed to pay £11,060 in compensation.
The child, who has special educational needs and lives with a relative as part of a kinship care agreement, was no longer able to attend a mainstream school because of their unsupported education and behavioural needs.
But the council failed to find a suitable specialist school for the child. It took more than a year longer than the law allows to update the child’s education, health and care plan (EHCP) and the SEND team admitted it was unaware of its powers to name certain schools in such a plan.
Schools were approached with out-of-date records of the child’s needs and the council failed to keep the child’s carer informed throughout the lengthy process.
The LGO said the child’s emotional wellbeing suffered. They became distressed, struggled to leave the house and their placement was at risk of breaking down.
Ombudsman Amerdeep Somal said: “This child had a difficult start in life and, as corporate parents, the council had an even greater duty to ensure their welfare and educational needs were met.
“This is a classic case of a child falling through the cracks.
“It is incomprehensible that staff dealing with the child’s education provision, working in an education department, could have such a poor understanding of the law around special educational needs and disabilities and their duties towards children in their care.
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“They also failed to act on the concerns raised by its specialists for looked-after children. Not knowing they could specify the type of school is basic knowledge and it is bewildering staff didn’t know their remit.”
The council’s education chief David Chambers said: "The council takes all complaints, as well as investigations and findings from the Local Government Ombudsman, very seriously.
“We would like to apologise to the family involved in this case.
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“We fully accept the recommendations of the report. We are committed to working together as a genuine partnership, with our families at the heart of this partnership, to ensure meaningful improvements are made for all children with SEND and EHCPs in Worcestershire and that they receive the support they need and deserve.
“Training provided under our SEND improvement plan will be reviewed to ensure improved practices can be taken forward.”
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