Family to get almost £5,000 over North Northamptonshire SEND failings

The Ombudsman found council did not provide the full provision in a young man's education

A family will get almost £5,000 in compensation after failings in how a council dealt with the education of a young person with special needs.

The Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) found North Northamptonshire Council did not provide the full provision in the youngster's education.

It said this happened for two and a half academic years from September 2020.

North Northamptonshire Council said it accepted the findings of the LGO.

The LGO investigated after it received a complaint from the young man's mother that he did not receive the provision specified in his Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

It found he missed four months of any provision at all from September 2022 until December 2022, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

According to the LGO the council did not respond to complaints about the lack of provision from the mother.

'Strengthen our processes'

The authority was told to pay £4,400 for not providing the full provision in the young man's EHCP, which set out his needs and what arrangements were required, for the two and a half academic years.

The money will be used for his benefit.

It will also pay his mother £300 "to acknowledge the frustration and distress" caused by the problems caused by the council's actions.

She was also awarded a further £200 "as an acknowledgement of the time and trouble she has spent pursuing this complaint".

A North Northamptonshire Council spokesperson said: "We accept the findings of the report and apologise to the family for any distress caused.

"We will be carrying out the agreed actions as outlined by the Ombudsman and have put measures in place to strengthen our processes regarding dealing with EHCPs and communicating with those concerned."

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