A mother fleeing domestic abuse was forced to live in accommodation that was so unsuitable her eldest child who was disabled would soil themselves rather than use the shared bathroom.
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found the mother, who had mental and physical health issues, was placed by Tower Hamlets Council in a mixed-sex bed and breakfast.
Her child became anxious about using the shared facilities and began to soil themselves, prompting a social worker to tell the council the accommodation was not suitable.
The family were then moved to a one-bedroom flat, which was overcrowded and had inadequate heating and hot water, before being moved again two years later.
Ms Amerdeep Somal, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, found fault with the council for not keeping detailed records of the mother’s case, and for not offering suitable accommodation.
‘I can find no evidence the council considered the massive impact placing a vulnerable family with a history of PTSD from domestic abuse in mixed-sex shared accommodation would have,’ she said.
‘The distress the child must have felt – at their age – of suffering incontinence because of their fear of using the shared bathrooms is palpable given the degrading and appalling circumstances they were in.’
A Tower Hamlets Council spokesperson apologised to the family and said it happened at a time the council faced ‘unprecedented demand’ for housing and homelessness services.
