Special needs care attacked

The father of a child with special needs has attacked Kent County Council (KCC) for delays in special care for vulnerable young people.

Cllr Nick Chard, who represents Sevenoaks West, said the council was stopping people under 25 from receiving specialist education by not providing legal documents in time.

Local authorities must issue an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) for every child with special educational needs so they can apply for therapy or special needs education.

However, KCC was failing to complete this work within the 20-week deadline in 40% of cases, according to a report heard at the council’s governance and audit committee.

Cllr Chard, whose son has an EHCP, said at the meeting on Thursday that KCC was “not meeting its statutory duty”.

He said: “I do understand there are more requests for EHCPs and I want to know whether we are adequately resourcing, both with money and, primarily, people.”

A report showed the independent Local Government Ombudsman received 12 complaints regarding KCC last year about special education needs. Nine were upheld.

However, Cllr Gary Cooke, chairman of the children’s, young people and education cabinet committee, said the council was catching up with the requests.