Family to be paid £11k over teen's lost education

The local government watchdog said the loss of education had affected the teenager's "emotional and social development and general well-being"

A family is to receive more than £11,000 after a council failed to provide their teenager with an education for almost two years.

West Northamptonshire Council was held at fault for not providing an education between April 2022 and January 2024.

The local authority admitted there was a 39-week delay in completing an education health and care plan (EHCP) due to a lack of staff.

A council spokesperson said it "accepted the findings and [we] have sent a written apology to the family for the avoidable distress and frustration caused by the delay".

The council said it would improve its timescales for completing EHCPs

The teenager's mother told the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman that her daughter could not attend school from June 2021 onward.

Her attendance had already declined and her anxiety worsened "following limits imposed by Covid-19".

In April 2022, she asked the council to complete an EHCP, and the local authority agreed to complete one in June 2022 - but did not issue a final plan until June 2023.

The council suggested she attended a school that turned out to be "unsuitable", the ombudsman said in its report, and her mother complained to the special education needs and disabilities tribunal.

The council issued another EHCP in November 2023, naming a new school for her to start in January 2024.

The ombudsman said it only investigated matters from April 2022 onward, because that was when the family first approached the local authority.

Symbolic payment

The report said: "[The pupil] has the injustice of a loss of education from April 2022 in almost two key years of her school life.

"It has also had a knock-on effect on her emotional and social development and general wellbeing.

"[Her mother] and her family have had the time, trouble, and cost in missed work to support [their daughter]."

The local authority was ordered to pay £11,150 as compensation for the lost education, which included a "symbolic" payment for the delay in the EHCP process.

The council said it would improve its timescales for completing EHCPs and address the delays in getting educational psychology assessments done.