Ombudsman criticises council for housing 17 year old on campsite

Cornwall Council has admitted that accommodating a homeless youth on a campsite “went on for too long”, after criticism from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

Over a summer, the vulnerable 17-year-old spent five weeks in a tent, four weeks in a static caravan and several nights sleeping rough after approaching the council for help.

Following this he was found to be emaciated and was detained in a psychiatric hospital for 11 months.

The Ombudsman’s report said: “Evidence suggests the council tried to place responsibility for the situation on the boy, because of his [behavioural] actions, rather than provide the right support to a vulnerable child who was suffering from drug addiction and mental ill health.”

Ombudsman Michael King said: “There is a long list of failures in this case which had dreadful consequences for the boy.

“But the starkest, and most worrying, element is the attitude shown towards his situation. I would have expected an unequivocal response that it was simply wrong to accommodate the boy in this manner.”

Mr King said the boy had shown difficult behaviours but that was why the Children Act existed “and councils should not apportion blame when help is needed”.

The boy had been arrested for drug dealing and was not allowed by bail conditions to return to his father’s home so was placed in supported accommodation in another town, from which he was evicted for breaching its conditions.

He refused an offer of supported accommodation 30 miles away after which a social worker bought him a tent and helped him pitch it.

Mr King said Cornwall should pay the boy £2,500 for the effects of its actions on his mental health, lost opportunities and placing him at risk, and his mother £1,500 for the severe distress and frustration it caused.

Cornwall said it accepted Mr King’ findings and had apologised to the man and his mother.

It said: “In this particular case, there was a breakdown of relationship with his family and we did not have the legal power to take this young person into care against his will.”

Cornwall said the mother had felt unable to have the boy live with her outside Cornwall or live in a holiday property she owned in the county.

“The worker supporting him felt it was better for him to stay on a campsite rather than for him to become street homeless, with all the risks that entails,” the council said.

“However, this went on for too long and there were several points where the Service could have done more to support him.”

Mark Smulian