Overview
The complainant (Mrs C) complained that Dundee City Council (Council 1) restricted her autistic grandson (Mr A)'s access to education and life skills development by refusing to fund a residential placement for him at college.
Specific complaint and conclusion
The complaint which has been investigated is that Council 1 failed to provide a service to Mr A to meet his assessed needs (not upheld).
Redress and recommendations
The Ombudsman recommends that Council 1:
- (i) review their practices for informing service users and their families of services that have been recommended and agreed;
- (ii) remind staff of the importance of recording on file service users' agreement with the content of their needs assessments;
- (iii) formally apologise to Mrs C and Mr A for the confusion and protracted correspondence caused by their failure to properly explain the reasons for their decision from the outset; and
- (iv) pay Mrs C the sum of £150.00 in recognition of the time and trouble that she went to to pursue this complaint.
Council 1 have accepted the recommendations and will act upon them accordingly.