Leading human rights law firm Leigh Day & Co has successfully concluded a case on behalf of two adults after being instructed by the Official Solicitor to represent them.  X and Y were taken into care as young children and contact with their parents was restricted by the Council responsible for their care.  One of the children had considerable learning and physical disabilities whilst the other did not suffer with such serious problems.  Leigh Day argued in the claim that separate care plans recognising their different needs, including searching for a substitute family placement for the younger child and a specialist placement for the child with severe developmental problems, should have been considered by the Council as soon as it was decided that their parents would not be involved in their upbringing.

The children were transferred from one children’s home to another that had no specialism in dealing with children with learning disabilities. The then owners of the home were not told that the children had any special needs.  One of the children, X, did not receive any formal education for five years during which time X's behavioural problems increased, neither were X’s physical needs catered for.  This caused X considerable pain and discomfort over a number of years.

Y had to share a room with X during childhood and we were concerned Y had been severely emotionally harmed by the Council’s failure to find a stimulating, supporting substitute family at an age when he would have been receptive to this. 

As a consequence of the Council’s long term neglect it was claimed both clients suffered significant educational, emotional, psychological, social and behavioural harm.

The Court has now approved a payment for both clients who were represented by partner Alison Millar who can be contacted on 020 7650 1241.