Council pays almost £10k after boy misses school

The boy missed 18 months of school after his family moved to the area

A family will get almost £10,000 in compensation after a child with special educational needs received no schooling for more than a year.

The Local Government Ombudsman found North Northamptonshire Council was at fault for the lack of education.

A report said the family moved to the area in September 2022 but the boy did not start school until March 2024.

The council accepted the ombudsman's findings and called the "avoidable distress" of the pupil missing school "simply unacceptable".

When the family moved the area their previous authority was still in the process of issuing him an education health and care plan (EHCP), the report added.

North Northamptonshire Council issued the student a draft EHCP in October 2022, but by January 2023 the boy was still yet to see a final plan.

A final EHCP was presented to the family in August 2023, taking a total of 10 months compared to the council's 20-week timeframe, but the council was not able to find a place that fitted his needs.

'Stressful and difficult'

The ombudsman said the council first offered tuition in November 2023 after the child had already been out of school for more than a year.

It said the council was finally able to secure a place for the boy at an independent special school in the middle of March this year.

The watchdog ordered the council to make a payment of £9,600 to reflect the loss of educational provision - and a further £250 for his father's "avoidable distress".

A spokesperson from the council apologised for "what must have been an extremely stressful and difficult time".

They added that the council would "review our policies and procedures to ensure this does not happen again".