Lancashire County Council (13 003 902)

Category : Children's care services > Disabled children

Decision : Upheld

Decision date : 06 May 2014

Summary

A women complained that the council failed to provide adequate replacement care for her disabled daughter, after an overnight care package for one weekend a month broke down in June 2009.

The complaint

A women complained that the council failed to provide adequate replacement care for her disabled daughter, after an overnight care package for one weekend a month broke down in June 2009. The overnight care was specifically arranged to allow the rest of the family (the mother, her husband and two other children) to spend some quality time together. The council also failed to offer any other alternative such as direct payments or acknowledge that the overnight care need was not being met. The full care package was not provided until January 2013.

The lack of provision caused the family a serious injustice because they missed out on the opportunity to spend dedicated time together over a three year period.

Finding

The Ombudsman upheld the complaint and found fault causing injustice.

Recommendation

To remedy the injustice, the Ombudsman recommends the council should pay the mother £7,500 (£2,500 a year). The council has agreed to make this payment.

Ombudsman satisfied with Council's response: 20 August 2014

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