Richmond Council has apologised for failing to make sure a girl with special educational needs (SEN) was receiving PE sessions.

A new Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman report found Richmond Council at fault for not having enough oversight of the provision in place for the girl.

The council has paid the girl's dad, referred to only as Mr X, £1,800 for the injustice they were caused.

The council told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) its children's services contractor Achieving for Children (AfC) would introduce improved practices ahead of the new academic year in response to the findings.

Mr X complained to the council in May 2025 that his daughter, named Y, was not receiving PE sessions set out in her education, health and care plan (EHCP), which outlined the support she needed at her specialist school.

He said the provision had been in the plan since August 2024 and the school should have been delivering it.

The plan said PE sessions should only be delivered to the girl if it respected her capacity for engagement.

The ombudsman said the council acted quickly to investigate Mr X's complaint, but found it at fault for not ensuring the PE provision set out in his daughter's EHCP was being delivered.

"This caused Mr X avoidable distress and frustration," the report said. "It meant Y lost out on the opportunity to access the specified provision."

Mr X told the ombudsman there was no PE provision in place for his daughter as of late May this year.

The council apologised to Mr X and paid him £1,800 for the PE provision his daughter had missed over the ombudsman's investigation period.

The report said the council had agreed to make sure the provision would start in September, when the girl moves to a new placement.

A Richmond Council spokesperson told the LDRS: "We deeply regret that, in this case, Y did not receive all the provision set out in their Education, Health and Care Plan.

"We have accepted the ombudsman's findings in full, issued a written apology and made a financial offer in line with the ombudsman's recommendations.

"We are committed to ensuring children and young people receive the support they need and are entitled to through their education, health and care plans.

"In response to the findings, Achieving for Children is reviewing its current practice and introducing stronger oversight of section F provision for new and amended EHCPs, particularly where a change of placement takes place.

"We expect these improvements to be in place ahead of the new academic year."