Overview
The complainant (Mrs C)'s son (Mr A) has an inherited genetic disease and she believed that his head teacher showed a lack of care and compassion for him and a lack of respect for her as a parent. Mrs C maintained that she made a number of formal complaints about this but, that North Lanarkshire Council (the Council) failed to respond properly, explore all relevant issues and speak with independent witnesses.
Specific complaints and conclusions
The complaints which have been investigated are that:
- (a) the Council did not properly investigate a complaint against the head teacher and witness statements were not sought (partially upheld);
- (b) the Council failed to adhere to an undertaking to provide a corrected minute (partially upheld);
- (c) the Council failed to abide to an agreement concerning home tuition (no finding);
- (d) the head teacher inappropriately sought information about a private meeting (not upheld);
- (e) the head teacher failed to enter properly into the spirit of mediation (not upheld); and
- (f) the Council failed to provide a proper explanation for the reasons why a photograph of her son had been publicly displayed (upheld).
Redress and recommendations
The Ombudsman recommends that the Council apologise to Mrs C for the fact that an unfavourable minute was issued; for the fact that information on home tuition was not made available earlier; and for the time and trouble she spent trying to establish the circumstances which took place with regard to the photograph.
In addition, the Ombudsman recommends that the Council:
- (i) have in place a published policy on arrangements for home tuition,
- (ii) always provide clarification of the process required in the preparation of home tuition work, for instance as was clarified to Mrs C in August 2006; and
- (iii) review their existing complaints procedure where it concerns head teachers, in order to exclude the possibility of them investigating complaints made against themselves.