Social care chief apologises over boy’s lost year

A social care chief has apologised for blunders that caused a teenager with learning difficulties to miss a year of education.

Cambridgeshire County Council was found guilty of maladministration causing injustice in October.

Local government ombudsman Dr Jane Martin ruled the council and Peterborough City Council, which also committed maladministration, must pay £4,500 compensation to the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

The county council’s cabinet considered a report from Dr Martin on Tuesday. Cllr David Brown, the children and young people’s services chief, said he was sorry for what happened.

Confusion between the councils once the boy moved from Cambridgeshire to Peterborough meant that responsibility for his education was not transferred.

The county council provided him with a 10-hour per week education programme. But the family disputed this, saying it was made up only of swimming and perhaps shopping, cookery or crafts.

By the time it was agreed who was responsible, the boy had missed the year.