A student with special educational needs missed out on vital support in the year she sat her GCSEs, after a South West London council failed to replace her therapist.

The girl's mum has won £3,000 after a watchdog investigation found she did not receive occupational therapy for the 2023/24 academic year.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman report said the girl, named R, has still not been given an occupational therapist, despite her education, health and care plan outlining her need for the support.

Her mum, referred to as Miss Q, said the council's failure to secure this provision negatively affected R while taking her GCSEs and preparing to go to college.

R's previous occupational therapist told her mum she could no longer work with her in July 2023.

She said she had told the council's children's services contractor, but the authority later said it did not receive this information at the time.

R entered year 11 at school that September, but she was not given occupational therapy as the council had not replaced her therapist. Miss Q complained to the council later that month.

The council began looking for a new therapist for R in October and contacted two providers, who said they were not able to take her on. The authority had failed to find R a therapist by the time Miss Q complained again in February 2024.

advertisement

The report said: "I therefore find there was service failure… which has caused Miss Q and R distress, uncertainty and frustration. This injustice is significant as the failure to provide [occupational therapy] was at a crucial period in R's education, when studying for exams and preparing for post-16 education, and the injustice is ongoing as the provision is still not in place."

The ombudsman also found the council at fault for failing to provide Miss Q with regular updates on its efforts to secure occupational therapy for R.

The watchdog told the council to apologise to Miss Q, provide her with updates on the steps it is taking to find R a therapist and pay her £3,000. It also ordered the authority to pay her a further £450 for each half term that R remains without a therapist in the current school year.

Richmond Council has been contacted for comment.