BUCKINGHAMSHIRE Council has been forced to pay compensation to a family of an autistic man, who claimed the delay in assessing his care needs left him "socially isolated" and struggling with his mental health.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman said delays in assessing care and support needs for the man (Mr Y) had caused "distress, frustration, and inconvenience".

The council, who accept its failures, have been ordered to pay £1,050 in compensation to Mrs X on behalf of Mr Y.

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The Ombudsman's report told how the anonymous man, who has autistic spectrum disorder, was waiting to have his care needs assessed after finishing college. This was requested in June 2021.

Mrs X expressed her frustrations about the Council’s delays in assessing Mr Y’s needs.

Mrs X explained Mr Y needed funding and provisions to be put in place for the supported employment programme she asked for. The Council said Mrs X’s request was initially allocated to the wrong team and it apologised for its delay in allocating her request.

The investigation found in September 2021, the Council on several occasions passed Mrs X’s care needs assessment request between different teams for allocation.

By the end of September 2021, the Council finally allocated Mrs X’s request to the appropriate team to conduct Mr Y’s care needs assessment.

Mrs X reminded the Council that funding for a taxi provision was important to be put in place for Mr Y to access any provisions agreed following his assessment.

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The council finally completed Mr Y’s care assessment and support plan on October 12, 2021.

However the delay left Mr Y socially isolated since June 2021 when he left collage which "affected his mental wellbeing."  The Council agreed to refer Mr Y for supported employment programmes and to arrange funding for taxi provision.

In mid-November 2021, Mrs X asked the Council when it would approve funding for the taxi service which would be required for Mr Y’s provision start date.

However, the taxi service arranged by the Council did not pick up Mr Y, so he missed the first day of his commissioned service.

Mrs X expressed her frustrations about how the Council failed to let Mr Y start his supported employment programme on the scheduled date despite its six-months delay.

A formal complaint was made to the council in January 2022, expressing how unhappy she was with the council's delays in assessing Mr Y's care needs and the failure to provide a taxi service.

She said the ordeal had caused "had caused significant distress to Mr Y and Mrs X’s family.

Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services Anita Cranmer said: “Buckinghamshire Council sincerely apologises to the family for the distress and anxiety caused.  

"As a result of the initial complaint we have taken steps to review the learnings from this case to ensure we are fully supporting all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in Buckinghamshire.”