North Northamptonshire Council to pay family almost £15,000 for daughter’s missed education

A family will be paid just shy of £15,000 by a Northamptonshire council after their daughter missed out on two years of schooling.

The Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) said North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) failed to give the student a personal assistant which meant she wasn’t able to attend her special school.

The report found that it was ‘clear’ that the child wasn’t receiving any education and wasn’t being given proper support towards adulthood.

The council has since apologised for the delay in provision.

According to the ombudsman, in Summer 2021 the pupil was starting Year 12 and was entitled to a personal assistant under her education health and care plan.

This was supposed to give the teenager daily lessons in independent living skills, such as getting up on time and personal hygiene.

The council did not begin to look for a personal assistant for the girl until May 2023, after a series of complaints from her parents.

An assistant began working with the student in September 2023, two years after the provision was first required.

The council apologised for ‘significant delays’ and reviewed its service as a result of the parents’ complaint.

The LGO wrote that the delay was partly caused by confusion about whether the personal assistant would be funded by its social care or education team.

The report said that the council ‘failed to have due regard to Miss K’s right to an education’ and didn’t consider if it was the lack of provision that was causing her absence over the years.

“Overall, the council’s failures meant that Miss K did not receive an education for two school years, nor proper planning and support towards adulthood,” the report added.

“This also caused all members of the family distress and frustration.”

The council was ordered to pay a total of £14,700 to recognise the years of missed provision, delays in their responses to the family’s complaints, and the distress it caused them.

They have also been asked to apologise directly to the parents and the pupil.

North Northants Council has been contacted for comment.