Latest news with #MsX
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
SEND assessment delay 'prolonged injustice' for mum
"Significant delays" by a council in assessing a child's special educational needs caused his mother "prolonged injustice", a government watchdog has ruled. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman ordered Slough Borough Council to pay her £1,000 for delays and lack of communication. Its report said the council's faults had caused her "significant distress and frustration". The council said it acknowledged the findings of the report and had complied with all of its recommendations. The mother, named as Ms X in the ombudsman's report, asked the council to update her son B's education health and care plan (EHCP) in March 2024. This is a legal document reviewed annually that sets out what a council has to do to meet a child's special educational needs. She wanted the council to update B's EHCP with information from a private occupational therapist's assessment she had sourced, and asked if it could reimburse her for the cost. Ms X then complained "shortly after" about the time the council had taken to update B's EHCP after a review in October 2023, and asked for a personal budget to pay for his occupational therapy. The council replied that B's annual review would take place in April, that she could discuss a personal budget then, and that it might need to take 14 weeks to reassess his needs. The council also said it had "not yet decided" whether to reimburse Ms X for the private occupational therapist's assessment. B's annual review took place in April and the council wrote to Ms X in June saying it had prepared an amended plan, that it would reimburse her for the occupational therapist's assessment and reassess B's needs. In response to her complaint, Slough Borough Council said it would consider her request for a personal budget. It accepted there had been delays in updating B's plan and securing a decision around the private occupational therapist funding. When the council did issue an updated ECHP in September 2024 the reassessment had still not taken place – and was ongoing at the time of the ombudsman's decision in March this year. The council 'said waiting for the outcome of the private OT's review, had delayed this consideration'. The ombudsman ruled this delay was "especially severe" and the the council should pay Ms X £750. In addition, the ombudsman said there was a "lack of communication! from the council in explaining its decision whether to award Ms X a personal budget, and that there was a delay in deciding whether to reimburse her for the private assessment. It said the council should pay Ms X a further £250 for these. The council said: "We are conscious of historic failings and delays within parts of our SEND service and recognise the impact this has had on some families. "In response, we have taken clear steps to strengthen the service — including increasing staffing capacity, improving oversight, and ensuring Education, Health, and Care (EHC) needs assessments are completed in a more timely and consistent way." It added: "We remain committed to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND and to working closely with families to provide the support they need." You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Authority to pay £11,750 over special needs case Council to pay £6,500 after failing autistic child SEND delay 'horrible' for boy, 11 Mother awarded £9,400 over education battle for son Slough Borough Council Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman
BBC News
6 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Slough Borough Council SEND assessment delays criticised in report
"Significant delays" by a council in assessing a child's special educational needs caused his mother "prolonged injustice", a government watchdog has Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman ordered the Slough Borough Council to pay her £1,000 for delays and lack of report said the council's faults had caused her "significant distress and frustration".The BBC has approached the council for comment. The mother, named as Ms X in the ombudsman's report, asked the council to update her son B's education health and care plan (EHCP) in March is a legal document reviewed annually that sets out what a council has to do to meet a child's special educational wanted the council to update B's EHCP with information from a private occupational therapist's assessment she had sourced, and asked if it could reimburse her for the X then complained "shortly after" about the time the council had taken to update B's EHCP after a review in October 2023, and asked for a personal budget to pay for his occupational therapy. 'Especially severe' The council replied that B's annual review would take place in April, that she could discuss a personal budget then, and that it might need to take 14 weeks to reassess his council also said it had "not yet decided" whether to reimburse Ms X for the private occupational therapist's assessment.B's annual review took place in April and the council wrote to Ms X in June saying it had prepared an amended plan, that it would reimburse her for the occupational therapist's assessment and reassess B's response to her complaint, Slough Borough Council said it would consider her request for a personal accepted there had been delays in updating B's plan and securing a decision around the private occupational therapist the council did issue an updated ECHP in September 2024 the reassessment had still not taken place – and was ongoing at the time of the ombudsman's decision in March this council 'said waiting for the outcome of the private OT's review, had delayed this consideration'.The ombudsman ruled this delay was "especially severe" and the the council should pay Ms X £ addition, the ombudsman said there was a "lack of communication! from the council in explaining its decision whether to award Ms X a personal budget, and that there was a delay in deciding whether to reimburse her for the private said the council should pay Ms X a further £250 for these. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
16-05-2025
- BBC News
Slough Borough Council fined over woman's rent increases
A council has been ordered to pay a woman £3,060 for charging her unaffordable rent while she was in temporary homelessness investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found Slough Borough Council (SBC) had failed to check if the woman - known as Ms X - could afford the accommodation and did not tell her of rent council accepted it was at fault and offered to pay the difference between Ms X's housing benefit and the rental charge between February and March 2024 but the ombudsman said that was not apologised and said it had "updated staff training to highlight the importance of affordability checks". Ms X was placed in a one-bedroom flat by the council when she was homeless in October was charged £184.10 a week, which was the local housing allowance - the maximum amount of benefits a person can claim for private rented rent increased to £455 per week in February 2024, and then to £525 in April council then refused to give Ms X permanent two-bedroom accommodation because she had accrued "significant rent arrears".She went to the ombudsman after the council failed to uphold her complaint. 'Avoidable distress' The ombudsman said Ms X's income was less than the difference between her housing benefit and the rest of her rent, so "on the balance of probabilities, the temporary accommodation was unaffordable for Ms X and therefore unsuitable"."Ms X should not have had to make any payments towards her rent and should not have any outstanding amounts on her rent account," it was ordered to repay Ms X £2,760 for the rent payments made and to reduce her rent account balance to zero, as well as pay £300 for the "avoidable distress and uncertainty".A council spokesperson said: "We acknowledge we failed to do the proper affordability checks on the temporary accommodation, and this led to Ms X being unable to pay the increased rent and then go into arrears."We apologise to Ms X for the upset and uncertainty caused and we have written to Ms X with our apology." You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Council to pay £6,500 after failing autistic child
A council should pay £6,500 in compensation to an autistic child and their mother for failing to provide special educational provision (SEP), an ombudsman has found. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman said Slough Borough Council was at fault in the case of the child, known as Child Y, and the mother, Ms X, and should apologise. The ombudsman also said the authority's complaint handling caused "avoidable distress and time and trouble". The council apologised and said it sincerely regretted its "shortcomings". The ombudsman said it had failed to provide Y's education, health and care plan between September 2023 and July 2024. The child was home schooled by the mother from June 2022 to September 2023, but was then due to transfer to a secondary school as part of a council education, health and care (EHC) plan. But the mother told the council's SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) team that the school could not meet Y's needs. The council said the situation would be reviewed in October and that Ms X's preferred school had no available places, but in the end she did not send her child to the recommended school. Months of complaints from Ms X and correspondence between the relevant institutions continued until the following Summer. The ombudsman found that the council failed to secure the education as part of its care plan and caused Ms X "confusion and frustration" because of its "poor complaint response". The report said the authority should "remedy the injustice" with a payment of £6,000 to reflect Y's lost SEP, and one of £500 to Ms X to reflect her "avoidable distress and time and trouble complaining". In a statement a council spokeswoman said: "While alternative tuition was provided, we accept it did not fully meet the requirements of Y's EHC plan. "We are pleased to note that Y has been attending special school placement since September 2024." She said a "great deal of improvements and development" had taken place in the last 18 months, and since the failings in this case the council had taken "corrective action", and made more approved tuition providers available "to ensure timely delivery of support". It had also "improved clarity" in its complaint processes, and was "committed to improving services for children with EHC plans". The council was previously ordered to pay a mother £9,400 after her autistic son was deprived of education for more than a year. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Mother awarded £9,400 over education battle for son Slough Borough Council - Special Educational Needs
BBC News
03-03-2025
- General
- BBC News
Slough Borough Council to pay £6,500 after failing autistic child
A council should pay £6,500 in compensation to an autistic child and their mother for failing to provide special educational provision (SEP), an ombudsman has Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman said Slough Borough Council was at fault in the case of the child, known as Child Y, and the mother, Ms X, and should ombudsman also said the authority's complaint handling caused "avoidable distress and time and trouble".The council apologised and said it sincerely regretted its "shortcomings". The ombudsman said it had failed to provide Y's education, health and care plan between September 2023 and July child was home schooled by the mother from June 2022 to September 2023, but was then due to transfer to a secondary school as part of a council education, health and care (EHC) the mother told the council's SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) team that the school could not meet Y's council said the situation would be reviewed in October and that Ms X's preferred school had no available places, but in the end she did not send her child to the recommended of complaints from Ms X and correspondence between the relevant institutions continued until the following Summer. The ombudsman found that the council failed to secure the education as part of its care plan and caused Ms X "confusion and frustration" because of its "poor complaint response".The report said the authority should "remedy the injustice" with a payment of £6,000 to reflect Y's lost SEP, and one of £500 to Ms X to reflect her "avoidable distress and time and trouble complaining". In a statement a council spokeswoman said: "While alternative tuition was provided, we accept it did not fully meet the requirements of Y's EHC plan. "We are pleased to note that Y has been attending special school placement since September 2024."She said a "great deal of improvements and development" had taken place in the last 18 months, and since the failings in this case the council had taken "corrective action", and made more approved tuition providers available "to ensure timely delivery of support".It had also "improved clarity" in its complaint processes, and was "committed to improving services for children with EHC plans".The council was previously ordered to pay a mother £9,400 after her autistic son was deprived of education for more than a year. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
