Birmingham criticised for failing to meet autistic boy's needs
Derren Hayes
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Birmingham City Council has been rebuked by the Local Government Ombudsman for failing to provide support to the mother of an autistic boy whose violent behaviour was deemed to be of "considerable risk" to others.
The 16-year-old boy, who has an autism spectrum disorder and communication difficulties, was assessed by social workers as having just educational needs despite his mother telling them that she was unable to cope with his behaviour.
His violent outbursts became so severe that he physically assaulted his mother, grandmother and his mother’s partner.
The ombudsman ruled that the mother and other family members were placed at unnecessary risk because the council failed to consider the boy’s wider social care needs under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989.
The mother first contacted the council in late 2012 asking for help with caring for her son at weekends and outside of school term times as he was living at a residential school during weekdays.
Despite evidence from the school that the boy was often violent and it would sometimes take two staff to control his behaviour, the council assessed his needs as educational and closed the case without telling the family.
Another assessment was carried out in the summer of 2013. At the same time the school told the council it could no longer meet the boys needs and that his behaviour was putting staff and others at “considerable risk”.
However, it was not until the ombudsman took up the case in January this year that the council accepted that social care workers should be involved in the case and that the teenager may need full-time residential care.
Local Government Ombudsman Dr Jane Martin said: “It was clear that this family needed help to look after the boy when he was living with them. Social workers should have considered whether the situation warranted an accommodation placement, rather than just looking at the boy’s educational needs.
“I am pleased to see that Birmingham City Council has already apologised to the family and taken on board my recommendations to ensure that others in a similar situation are treated differently.”
The council has agreed to carry out a fresh assessment of the boy’s needs and the ombudsman has recommended that it pays £1,000 to the mother for the distress caused by its failures, as well as £250 for not replying to her correspondence.
A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: “We have apologised for the delay in carrying out the core needs assessment and we are currently reviewing our practices and procedures. We will also be re-assessing [the boy's] needs to ensure an appropriate care plan is in place."
