Bracknell council compensation after boy missed school

The council had failed to complete an education health and care plan on time

The father of a boy who missed out on school has been awarded compensation.

At one stage the boy's schooling fell to 12.5 hours a week as Bracknell Forest Council struggled to find adequate provision.

An investigation found the council did not complete an assessment on time and did not consider whether part-time education was appropriate.

The council said a shortage of places gave it "limited options" but it was "committed to working with the family".

The boy had been rejected from eight special schools in 2019, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, resulting in him receiving significantly less teaching time than the weekly 25 hours available to most children over a period of 18 months.

'Working with family'

An investigation by the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) found fault with Bracknell Forest Council for not issuing an education health and care (EHC) plan within the statutory deadline, although it said the delay did not cause "significant injustice".

The LGO also found fault with the authority for not properly considering whether part-time education was more suitable for the boy.

The council paid £300 compensation and was told staff should keep clear written records of their decisions and reasons when deciding whether part-time education was suitable.

Grainne Siggins, executive director of people at Bracknell Forest Council, said: "Having consulted with more than 10 settings to secure an appropriate placement, full or part-time, the local authority had limited options available but to commission part-time provision.

"The situation regarding the availability and waiting lists for special provision in the local area continues to remain a challenging one, which we are working with education settings and partners to address.

"We acknowledge that the LGO did not consider the fault led to any significant injustice and remain committed to working with the family."