Council rapped over girl's needs

A council failed to meet the needs of a family of an autistic girl, a local government ombudsman has ruled.

Wiltshire County Council had delayed placing the youngster in a residential special school and offered no respite care, the watchdog said.

The failures had significant consequences for the health, happiness and wellbeing of the whole family.

The council has accepted the report, which recommended it apologise, and will pay £10,000 compensation.

It said the way education and social care was provided had been changed to ensure a similar incident would not happen again.