Kingston council will pay a woman £800 after it failed to get her a passport and ID for five years while she was under its care as a child.

The woman, named Ms X in the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman report, claimed she could not go on school trips or find work as a result.

Kingston Council has now been told to pay Ms X £500 to recognise the stress she was caused by the delay in getting her passport and ID, along with £300 it had already agreed to pay for the trouble she experienced in raising her complaint.

Ms X came to the UK as a young child with her family, before being taken into care by the council in 2018. The council gained a full care order for her so she became a looked after child, which is someone who has been in the care of their local authority for more than 24 hours.

Ms X complained to the council it had not met many of her needs as a looked after child in 2022, including getting a passport and supporting her wellbeing.

She later escalated her complaint to stage two of the council's complaint procedure. Her complaint again included concerns about her lack of passport and ID.

An independent officer upheld significant parts of Ms X's complaint. The officer found the council could have applied for a passport for Ms X in 2018 when she was granted leave to remain in the UK.

They acknowledged Miss X's lack of engagement at times, according to the report, but said there had been "excessive drift and delay by the council in getting Ms X a passport during the five years she had been in care".

The officer also found the council delayed obtaining ID for Ms X which affected her getting a passport and applying for finances, education placements and bursaries.

The report added she could not access her records as she did not have ID, although she has recently been able to.

The council apologised to Miss X for the upheld parts of her complaint, put together an action plan in response, improved its services and told the ombudsman its solicitors were supporting her to apply for a passport.

It also offered her £600 in compensation, including £300 to recognise the stress caused by the delay in getting her passport and ID and £300 for the trouble she experienced in raising her complaint.

But the ombudsman said the council's offer of £300 to Ms X regarding the delay in obtaining her passport and ID was not enough.

The report said: "The council agreed with the independent officer's recommendations which advised the council needed to take account of the 'significant impact' of those delays.

"The council's failure to obtain a passport and ID for Ms X during her five years in its care is fault. Ms X has said it prevented her going on school trips and being able to find employment. This has caused her avoidable emotional stress, uncertainty, frustration, and inconvenience."

It added: "Considering the level of injustice to Ms X, her vulnerability, and delays by the council I consider it should pay Ms X a higher amount of £500. This is an appropriate amount and in line with our guidance."

A Kingston Council spokesperson said: "The council accepts the findings and decision of the ombudsman's report, which includes the increased financial offer in recognition of the delays and stress this has caused her. 

"Achieving for Children has since made immediate service improvements and reviewed the case at its Performance, Quality, and Improvement Board (PQI). This is to ensure we have robust learning and continuous improvements in the services we deliver for children and young people in our care."