Complaints about education and children’s services form the largest group of disputes dealt with by the Local Government Ombudsmen, according to its annual report.
For the second year, education and children’s services, including school admissions, were the largest category of complaints, making up 38 per cent of all grievances. In one case, a child with learning difficulties missed a year of full-time education and nine months of support because two councils failed to work together.
Disabled children are between three and four times more likely to be the victim of violence, The Telegraph reports. A team from John Moores University in Liverpool found that disabled children are at increased risk of physical and sexual violence because people consider them different or are ignorant about their disability.
Teaching unions including the NASUWT, the National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers have slammed Education Secretary Michael Gove for removing school staffing regulations restrictions to stop unqualified staff teaching in state schools.
The lead member for children’s services in Peterborough survived a vote of no confidence last night, according to the Peterborough Telegraph. Sheila Scott retained her position after 31 councillors backed her, against 24 who asked her to resign. Ofsted has judged safeguarding at the council to be inadequate four times since she took up her post in March 2009.
