Judge ‘extremely disappointed’ in social services staff over care of teenager

A High Court judge has criticised council social services staff over their care of a sick 15-year-old boy.

Mr Justice Hayden said the teenager suffered from a variety of medical problems and had been placed at a residential unit under the care of Westminster City Council some months ago.

But he said he was “extremely disappointed” by the council’s “lack of attention” to the boy’s care.

The judge said the teenager had received “inadequate educational provision”, “virtually no opportunity for social provision”, “negligible physiotherapy” and “no satisfactory medical review”.

Mr Justice Hayden has outlined complaints in a ruling after analysing the boy’s case at a private hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London.

He said the youngster could not be identified.

The teenager had been taken into care after social services staff raised a number of concerns about his parents.

“They sought public law care orders in order to protect (him) from harm,” said the judge.

“They have not done so satisfactorily.”

He added: “This cannot be permitted to pass without censure.”

Mr Justice Hayden said council bosses had asked him to make “findings of fact” about the teenager’s care.

The judge also made a series of criticisms about the youngster’s parents.

He said they had “misreported and exaggerated” their son’s symptoms and “covertly tampered” with medical equipment on a hospital ward.

Mr Justice Hayden also said the boy’s mother had been “bullying and bombastic” and had “intimidated” medics.

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