Councils to compensate boy, 16, left out in cold

FAILURES by two councils led to a homeless teenager being forced to spend nine months living in a tent, an inquiry has found.

The unnamed 16-year-old, known only as J, slept out in his tent in rural Kent, often in snowy conditions, or on friends’ sofas in exchange for his belongings.

He was thrown out by his mother after he objected to her relationship with a drug user. He had previously been taken into foster care by Kent County Council.

Local government ombudsman Anne Seex criticised Kent and Dover District Council for their “inexcusable” handling of his case. She said their failures could have “tipped him into a spiral of drug use and crime” and caused him physical and mental ill-health.

His tent was vandalised, his feet were often wet during the winter and he lost weight and developed a chest infection.

In her report issued yesterday, Ms Seex said Kent County Council failed to assess the “remarkably determined and resilient” boy as a child in need and ­accommodate him.

Dover District Council failed to accept him as homeless and provide suitable temporary accommodation or contact Kent children’s services about him.

Ms Seex said: “These failures are inexcusable.

“They happened after important court rulings had clarified the roles and responsibilities that housing authorities and children’s services authorities have to homeless children of 16 and 17.”

She added: “J was remarkably determined and resilient in the face of crushingly difficult circumstances and was well supported by the youth centre.

“The failures of the two councils could have easily tipped him into a spiral of drug use and crime.”

The ombudsman recommended that the councils apologise in writing to the boy and each pay him £5,500.