Many have complex special educational needs and cannot go to school because there are no suitable places available in their area, meaning they can go months or even years without suitable alternative arrangements, the report said. In one case, an autistic boy with extreme anxiety who was unable to attend mainstream school was given just five hours a week of online English and maths lessons for a year, with no proper thought given to how he could study for the rest of his GSCE subjects. In another example, a teenager was left without a school place – or suitable alternative education – for almost 14 months after moving to an area in the middle of the school term, when she too should have been preparing for her GCSEs. Parents have a duty to ensure that their children receive an appropriate full-time education. By law, however, where children are not attending school due to illness, exclusion or otherwise, councils are required to assess and make arrangements to provide suitable alternative education where necessary. Local government and social care ombudsman Michael King warned that children were being robbed of their chance to thrive because councils were failing to meet their responsibilities properly. Last year, the Ombudsman upheld 89% of complaints investigations on this issue. “We know that setting up an alternative education as soon as possible is vital to ensure children don’t fall behind their peers, but we see examples of councils trying to push the money, saying it’s the school’s responsibility,” King said. . “Parents need to know that this is not right. Councils have a legal obligation to properly consider what alternative education is provided when a child cannot attend school and it must be appropriate for the child – not as a token gesture of minimum hours.” In a separate case highlighted by the ombudsman, a mother complained to Dorset council after her son, who has special educational needs, missed out on his education for almost two years. Subscribe to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7am. BST The boy, who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and features of autism, was unable to attend school due to high stress and anxiety. The Ombudsman found that the council failed to provide him with adequate alternative education and social support between February 2020 and November 2021. The family was awarded compensation of £8,800. “I am delighted that Dorset Council has readily agreed with the recommendations I have made to put things right in this case,” King said. “I hope that the changes he will make to the way he monitors out-of-school children and the services he provides to them will ensure that other children are not disadvantaged like this child.” Cllr Andrew Parry, portfolio holder for children, education, skills and early help at Dorset Council, apologized for the council’s failings. “We have taken these matters seriously and have made some changes to our services so that other families do not have to go through the same experience.” A spokesman for the Local Government Association, which represents more than 300 English local authorities, said: “Councils are committed to working with parents and carers to ensure their child goes to a school where they receive the best possible support and education and do everything . they can achieve this, within the budgets allocated by the government.” A Department for Education spokesman said: “Local authorities are responsible for ensuring there are enough school places for all children in their area and we have increased high needs funding for them to a total of £9.1 billion next year, to help them meet the needs of children with special educational needs and disabilities. We encourage them to work with parents and local partners so that the right range of provision is available for all children.”
