The council failed to provide promised technology for a child with special educational needs, leaving them without suitable schooling for more than a year.
North Tyneside Council has agreed to pay £5,900 to a family after the Local Government and Social Care ombudsman found it failed to provide technology that would have allowed a child with special education needs (SEN) to access lessons from home.
The child has not been to school since September 2022.
In August 2023, the council agreed to supply equipment so the pupil could take part in remote learning. However, IT and compatibility issues meant the technology was never provided.
The ombudsman found the council also failed to arrange alternative education during the 13 months that followed, leaving the child without suitable provision during a crucial GCSE year.
It was not until September 2024 that further action was taken. The council relied on the school to refer the child to another provider, making nine follow-up requests, rather than arranging support directly.
Mrs Amerdeep Clarke of the local government and social care ombudsman, said: ‘This child was promised technology that should have kept them connected to their classroom and their peers at a crucial time in their education. Instead, they received nothing for more than a year. This can only have had a significant and detrimental impact on the child’s education and wellbeing.’
She added: ‘North Tyneside Council allows this case to drift without any meaningful progress, and I am concerned there appeared to have been no oversight or urgency to ensure this young person received the education they were entitled to, especially given the council’s previous agreement.’
Image: Element5 Digital/UnSplash
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