Essex County Council took almost two years to agree and put in place resources for the care of a disabled young man, finds Local Government Ombudsman, Anne Seex.

In her report, issued today (22 August 2012), she says this caused significant injustice to the young man who “… was socially isolated and struggled to cope with living independently. He had episodes of feeling low, suffered anxiety and was self-harming.”

The Council has agreed to the Ombudsman’s recommendation to pay £43,000 to the young man and his mother (who complained on his behalf) to reflect the services he should have had.

Mr M is 25 years old and, at the time of the complaint, lived on his own in a flat. He has a rare genetic disorder and, following an assault in 2004, has mild paralysis on the left side of his body, tremors and chronic pain in his spine. He also has mild learning disabilities and some mental health problems. He finds it difficult to motivate himself and to structure his time without a lot of support and encouragement. He has been exploited financially by others in the past.

The Council’s social worker assessed Mr M as needing 30 hours a week care, including help with shopping and meals, support to attend medical appointments and to socialise, reminders to take medication, do housework and laundry and attend to personal hygiene.

It took seven months for Mr M’s case to go to a board of officers from Adult Social Care. The board did not agree to fund the services he needed. It referred the case to a different board. The second board never considered it and the Council lost sight of the case. The social worker asked for the case to be transferred to someone else because she could not get funding agreed.

Mr M’s mother complained 21 months after she had first asked for help and 18 months after he had been assessed. Two months later the Council agreed funding.

The Ombudsman found maladministration by the Council because it took almost two years to agree and put in place resources for Mr M’s care, after he was first assessed. The law says councils must not delay in providing funding to meet eligible social care needs.

Report ref 10 0013 477

Article date: 22 August 2012