Bedfordshire child missed a year of school after council delays

The boy was diagnosed with autism but "poor council practice" left him without education, an ombudsman said

A child missed a year of education because of "poor council practice," an ombudsman has found.

The boy stopped attending primary school in November 2018 because of behavioural difficulties and was later diagnosed with an autism condition.

Central Bedfordshire Council did not provide alternative education until September 2019, and that was part-time.

The authority said it was "extremely sorry for the poor service" and was introducing new procedures.

It initially declined to carry out an education, health and care (EHC) assessment because it wanted instead to reintegrate him back into his mainstream primary school, a report said.

The EHC was eventually carried out in February 2020 and an education plan issued at the end of August.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman said the council should have acted promptly and considered whether his current school was suitable, but wrongly placed responsibility for this on the school.

The investigation also found it "allowed the case to drift," rather than nominate someone to co-ordinate its action.

'Systemic problems'

Parents with special educational needs have previously said they faced "a constant battle to get the most basic support" from the authority.

Michael King from the ombudsman said: "This case is yet another example of a child being deprived of their rightful education because of poor council practice.

"That it is such a common occurrence, points to systemic problems, not just locally but nationwide.

"Because I have found such significant problems with the council's policies operating at the time, I am concerned that other children have been denied the education provision they were entitled to in law."

A council spokeswoman said: "We are extremely sorry for the poor service we gave this young person and his family.

"The council accepts all the findings and has already begun actioning the ombudsman's recommendations, including reviewing all outstanding cases and implementing new alternative education procedures and policies."

The authority agreed to pay £1,250 to the boy's parents for their distress and trouble in bringing the complaint, as well as £4,800 to be used to benefit their son's education.