August 5, 2021, Manchester Evening News: Council ordered to pay compensation to two families after failures in special needs education https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/council-ordered-pay-compensation-two-21228220 Northern England
Bury Council has pledged to improve its service for children with special educational needs after it was ordered to pay compensation to two families.
A Local Government ombudsman investigation found that the council ’caused distress’ and cost a family ‘time and trouble’ when it issued an incomplete education plan for a boy.
As a result of the report Bury have paid £750 [$1K U.S.] in compensation and also apologised for ‘systemic poor communication’….
In a similar case reported by the Local Democracy News Service last month, Bury Council was ordered to pay £3,000 [$4K U.S.] to a vulnerable boy’s family after another damning ombudman’s report found it failed to provide him with education for 10 months.
The council has promised to review its special needs education plans for children
A complaint was made about the lack of education for the boy, who has special educational needs, and a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism.
The ombudsman said the council had ‘not shown any consideration of the boy’s individual circumstances’ and caused him to miss almost year of schooling….
