Fife Council apologises to pupil for toilet failure

Child’s mother’s complaint upheld

A disabled pupil had to wait for months until the council sorted out suitable toilet equipment.

The child’s mother, who has not been named, complained to the Scottish Ombudsman about the lack of toilet equipment at the two schools the child attended.

She said there had been no suitable toilet chair in place at either school for some time and when she asked for appropriate equipment it took months to be installed.

The ombudsman found it was not reasonable for the council to have failed to ensure the appropriate apparatus was in place until the mother brought it to its attention. He also found there were “avoidable delays” following her request.

In particular there was a delay of six weeks because of planned leave for one member of staff.

“We considered that the council should have taken steps to ensure appropriate cover was in place, given the nature and length of the leave.”

The ombudsman also said the council had failed to deliver accessories needed to install the adaptations in one of the schools.

After this was identified by an occupational therapist, there was a delay of around three months before these were provided.

“The council failed to provide an explanation for this error or subsequent delays,” the ombudsman said, adding he had also found the local authority had failed to record a number of discussions held with the mum about care arrangements for her child.

He recommended the council apologise to the family, provide him with an explanation for the delays in delivering missing accessories and review its process for recording review meetings and discussions with parents.

Education officer Angela Logue said the council had apologised to the family, but stressed that at no time was the pupil in “discomfort or distress”.

“This was a one-off case involving a number of Fife Council and NHS services,” she added.

“Following the ombudsman’s decision we have put measures in place to improve communications between services and families”.

The council failed to provide an explanation for this error or subsequent delays