Reading mother given £3,460 after sons miss out on school

The parent from Reading, has two boys with complex needs, who have not received the education they need since early in the 2021-22 academic year

A mother has received a £3,460 compensation after her sons missed out on months of schooling.

The parent, from Reading, has two boys with complex needs who have not received the education they need since early in the 2021-22 academic year.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found that Reading Borough Council failed to support the children.

Brighter Futures for Children arranges state education for the authority and said it fully accepts the findings.

The council has agreed to pay £2,700 for the benefit of one of the boys, and £760 for the other.

It initially offered to pay a lower sum, but increased the proposed pay-out after the ombudsman's investigation.

Both children have Education Health and Care plans that assess their needs and what arrangements should be made to meet them.

The boys did have alternative provision, which provides education where a child can learn outside of a mainstream school setting.

This broke down early in the 2021-22 academic year, and the council's children's services department contacted nine schools to try to find one that could meet one of the boy's needs, but none were able to.

The ombudsman acknowledged the council's efforts in trying to find a school, but it still concluded that it was a service failure.

It also found Brighter Futures for Children failed to provide alternative education provision for the boys and remedy gaps in their education.

A spokesperson for the group said: "Brighter Futures for Children is also undertaking a review of the learning identified to improve our processes and the services we offer."