Mr C complained that Cardiff Council had not provided his son, A, with full-time education since he became looked after three years previously. Mr C complained that his son’s education had been significantly impaired, limiting his future potential.
The Ombudsman decided that the Council had not been sufficiently proactive in sourcing education provision appropriate to A’s needs and abilities. A has Additional Learning Needs and the learning provision set out in his Individual Development Plan had not been delivered. Furthermore, the Council had not complied with its duties under the ALN Code of Practice in relation to its communication with Mr C. The Ombudsman decided to settle the complaint without an investigation.
In response to the Ombudsman’s enquiries, the Council took action to address A’s immediate education needs. The Council also set out a comprehensive plan to support A over the next three years. In addition to the action already taken, the Council agreed to write to Mr C and A, within a month, to apologise for the service failures and confirm the plans for future support and review. It agreed to review A’s IDP within two months and review progress within 5 months. Furthermore, the Council agreed to take steps to ensure that other looked after children and their parents were not similarly affected.