Bracknell Forest Council fined after SEND payment delay

Bracknell Forest Council failed to contribute to the education of the boy for about a full term in 2022

A council has been fined after a mother was left having to pay for her child's education for three months due to "miscommunication" between departments.

Bracknell Forest Council failed to contribute to the education of the boy, who is autistic, dyslexic and has ADHD, for about a full term in 2022.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman said it caused his mother "frustration and distress".

The authority told the ombudsman it was working on improving.

The mother, known in the watchdog's report as Mrs X, was supposed to receive funding from the council every term for her son's education, which is outside of school due to his needs.

But by 18 October, weeks after her son, named as H, had begun Year 9, she had still not received payment.

After complaining, she was told by a manager at the council that the payment would be made, but a month later it had still not turned up.

Handbook

After escalating her complaint twice Mrs X was told the delay was due to "miscommunication" between the special education needs team and finance department.

She received her money in December, three months after the start of term.

An investigation by the ombudsman ruled that the council should pay Mrs X a symbolic payment of £150 to recognise the frustration and distress it had caused her.

It also said the council should pay her a further £150 for another delay, this time for updating H's education package.

The council admitted that while Mrs X had been able to pay for H's education temporarily, many other parents would not have been able to cope.

It said it was working on improving its special educational needs services, and had brought in a "permanent and more stable team."

It also said it had introduced a handbook to help staff improve communication.

The council's special educational needs services were found to have "significant areas of weakness" by the Ofsted inspectorate in March 2022.

In September the council said it was making good progress on an improvement plan agreed with the government.

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