A couple who were told the only way they could get help for their daughter was to make her homeless when she was 16 are to take their plight to an independent watchdog, writes Becky Procter.

The couple, who cannot be named for legal reasons, battled for three years to get help from social services and came forward after reading about another mum's fight in last week's Advertiser.

Their daughter was suspended from school for setting fire to it, given a 12-month supervision order for shoplifting and would often disappear for days.

They were eventually forced to make her homeless and she was finally taken into care.

The dad said: "We had problems with our daughter when she was 14 and went to social services for help.

"They put us on a waiting list for two years and did absolutely nothing. When she turned 16, things were terrible

"We had to tell her to go to the police station and say she had nowhere to live.

"Social services were contacted and she was put into care. It was the only way we could get a break and get some help for our daughter."

The couple believed their daughter was ill but, despite repeated pleas, they were refused a psychological assessment.

The family persevered and eventually, through the NHS, the teenager was told she had an IQ of a 12 year old.

She was also diagnosed with attachment disorder, an illness where sufferers feel no emotion, can't bond, have no conscience and feel no remorse.

The family asked for social services to provide them with specialist help to deal with their daughter's condition but again they were refused.

They have now had to raise the money themselves and are hoping to get their daughter specialist help in London.

The father hopes his daughter, who is now in care in Worcester after having to plead homelessness again to allow the family respite, will have the treatment she needs.

The couple have now lodged a formal complaint to social services detailing 15 counts where they believe they have been let down.

But they are prepared to take their case further.

The dad said: "Three counts have been partially upheld, five upheld and seven not upheld and have gone to an appeals panel to be looked at again.

"If they don't get upheld we will go to the ombudsman."

Acting head of Worcestershire County Council's children's services, Anne Binney, said: "The county council has carefully considered all the complaints mentioned under their formal complaints procedure. Some were upheld and some not.

"We have continually attempted to offer appropriate services both to the parents and their daughter, who did not always want the same thing, and we have to consider this 17 year old has her own opinions.

"We recognise that there have been communication difficulties between both parties.

"We have requested information in respect of the attachment disorder diagnosis but have not received this from the parents."