CYP Now - Council left autistic boy without support for more than two years, ombudsman finds

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has criticised a council’s failings which led to a disabled child missing out on vital support for more than two years.

Michael King: Councils have a duty to meet the special educational needs provisions. Picture: LGO

A report by ombudsman Michael King reveals that Redbridge Council failed to provide any academic support for the child, who has autism and a severe form of epilepsy, for an entire year after it deemed him “medically unfit” to start secondary school.

The boy remained without education for the entire year due to the council’s failure to assess him for it’s home-tuition programme, King states.

He also missed out on any special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support during this time, the report adds, despite a statement of SEN stating he needed speech and language therapy (SALT), occupational therapy and physiotherapy.

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