The Isle of Wight Council has apologised — and must pay £3,250 — for the ‘distress’ caused to a mother and daughter over ‘failings’ to support learning. In a recently published Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) ruling, the watchdog said the council did not provide what it should have done to help the girl at school, through her Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP). For months, the lack of intervention left her without support in handwriting, literacy and numeracy skills, as well as in building emotional understanding, said the report. An Isle of Wight Council spokesperson said:
“We take complaints about the services we provide very seriously and look to learn any lessons we can from the matters which go before the Ombudsman.”
In her complaint to the LGSCO, the mother, referred to as Ms X, said the council’s actions had caused avoidable distress and anxiety to both her and her daughter. There were issues ensuring consistent support in school, from September 2022 through to March 2023, and Ms X called for a meeting on multiple occasions, as well as for an emergency EHCP review, which sets out a child’s extra needs and necessary support arrangements. The daughter’s school said interventions had been taking place and it had been trying to recruit additional staff to help. It said a consultant had observed the child and was satisfied she was making progress. An EHCP review took place 4 months after one was 1st requested, by which point Ms X had already filed an official complaint with the council, the report said. Ms X said the council had left her daughter struggling at school. In its ruling, the LGSCO said although the council did have alternative measures in place, it did not secure all of the required services. The LGSCO also found the council had delayed reviewing the EHCP and did not respond to Ms X in the statutory timeframe. Following the LGSCO report, the Isle of Wight Council has agreed to review the family’s provision, so it is in line with the EHCP. It is also reminding staff of the statutory timeframes when it comes to requesting an EHCP review. Ms X told the LGSCO the impact of the council’s actions was ‘extreme stress and anxiety’.
I wonder what she will blow the money on? Doubt it will be private after school lessons
Finally IWC made to recognise their failings, but to little to late .. took the ombudsman to show them how just inadequate a service they protect when parents and professionals have been telling then this for years ..
So basically we have to pay the fine not the council
Which school is this?
Yes… a lot more information would be appreciated. Why is there always such secrecy with the Council? The school, the educational problems. How are other pupils affected?
This has been happening for years the Isle of Wight children with any additional needs do not get the help they should have in place getting an EHCP in the first place is like getting blood from a stone and it’s the parents that have to fight and watch there children suffer, I had a breakdown after having to cope with this situation for years and still now my son is 18 they wash there hands of him the last time we saw anyone for a review was about 8 yrs ago it’s ridiculous
Firstly it is their, not there, when referring to a person and secondly anonymous, you should have paid more attention at school yourself.
Your son, you say is 18 – he is an adult, why should anyone be expected to pay out for him? He can support himself, at his own expense, not ours.
Why don’t you and other parents spend a bit more time teaching your own kids, instead of expecting EHCP to do it for you. Your kid, your responsibility.
An ehcp isn’t for teaching a child, it’s so a child receives the support they need to access the learning that every child is entitled to. Your reply to that poor lady was mean. Be a better human.
This is exactly why we need more ‘special’ schools… Places where kids with special needs are catered for without detriment to other pupils.
exactly zed – the old model for education that worked well, ensured that regular kids all got an education of sorts and those that were problematic or special needs, were catered for in some way, elsewhere. Naturally, some do gooder that thought a social engineering project of putting all kids together would somehow work, has failed miserably, at the expense of smart kids, who have been held back.
“lack of intervention left her without support in handwriting, literacy and numeracy skills, as well as in building emotional understanding”
“Ms X said the council had left her daughter struggling at school”
So basically this dim kid was lagging behind the rest and struggling to keep up and the parent expected extra teaching support to miraculously make her catch up. Maybe the mother should have given her some extra help at home and that might have been better for her “emotional” development too. Some parents think they can wash their hands of all responsibility for their child’s education these days and put all of the blame on the school/council. They make me sick. Just be a better parent.
What a selfless comment. I’m currently applying for an ehcp for my daughter that has a language disorder.
Yes I help her as much as I possibly can but both myself and my husband work and I have other children too.
Alot of children across the island need extra help but don’t get it!