CHESHIRE County Council has been found guilty of maladministration in the case of an 18-year-old girl.

A mother complained to the local government ombudsman that the council failed properly to assess her daughter's learning difficulties when she was 18.

She also complained the council failed to give Kate adequate advice and help.

Ombudsman Patricia Thomas found maladministration causing injustice, and said the council should pay the teenager £200 and her mother £100 for her time and trouble in pursuing the complaint.

The complainant and her mother have not been named, as the law requires the ombudsman to report without identifying individuals but they are from within the Congleton Guardian's circulation area.

The mother said that a council report of her daughter's assessment did not state she had dyslexia.

She therefore did not apply for a disabled students allowance, and was not considered for extra help at the two higher educational establishments she attended.

She subsequently paid for an independent assessment, which resulted in a DSA being granted by the council.

The mother said the council should seek to ensure assessments were appropriate and adequate for the purpose.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.