A council has agreed to pay £8,000 in compensation to a family whose son, a special needs student, missed more than a year’s worth of education.
This case highlights the critical importance of ensuring inclusive and supportive education for all students, especially those with special needs.
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council failed to provide the boy with suitable provision throughout 2022 and for January and February 2023.
The Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) determined that the authority had caused injustice to the boy. This ruling highlights the importance of accountability and transparency in local government operations.
It said the LGO investigation has “informed improvements” to its service.
The boy’s mother said him not attending school meant he became “very isolated” and fell behind academically.
The responsibility of looking after someone can significantly impact the caregiver’s social life, leading to isolation and a sense of being overwhelmed by the demands of caregiving. This can result in a loss of social connections and a feeling of being cut off from the outside world. As a result, the caregiver may experience increased stress, anxiety, and feelings of loneliness.
The LGO told the council to pay £6,000 for missed education throughout 2022 and another £1,000 for lost education between January and February 2023.
It will also pay £500 for a delay in amending the boy’s care plan and another £500 to recognise his mother’s “avoidable distress and frustration”.
A Department for Education (DfE) review published in February found special educational needs and disability (SEND) services in BCP services needed to improve more quickly.
A council spokesperson said the authority is “on a SEND improvement journey” and working with parents and carers, children and young people.
“We take the findings of this LGO investigation very seriously and would like to apologise again to the family involved for the impact this situation has had on them,” they added.
“We are committed to ensuring we deliver the best possible service to all children and young people with SEND and will do everything required of us to achieve that.”
