The mother of a vulnerable teenager says her daughter’s life is at risk because of a failure by Redbridge’s mental health team to provide her with the support she needs.

Nineteen-year-old Jade Littler has ADHD, Asperger syndrome and suffers from bipolar disorder.

Until April she was living with her mother Ruth, 41, and sister Sapphire, 14, in Brocket Way, Hainault.

She has a history of self harm, has taken several overdoses and is no longer allowed to live at home after police intervened over physical threats made against Sapphire.

Ruth, who is recovering from a hysterectomy, says Jade has been placed in two emergency residential homes since leaving.

She said: “Jade jumped out of the window in the first place and broke her wrist.

“I warned them the place was unsuitable for her, yet they just don’t listen

“I have been saying since 2011 that Jade needs a place of her own. I will pay for the place, but Jade needs one-to-one support and the mental health team keep fobbing me off about that.”

Under legislation introduced in 2008, people with mental health problems like Jade can apply for a personal budget which gives them greater control over the way they receive support.

Jade was assessed for this self-directed support in 2011 and, according to Ruth, she was transferred from the council's children's learning disability team to the mental health team on the understanding that she would receive an annual self-directed budget of £14,000.

The money never materialised though, leaving Jade and her family with no say on how money allocated for her care should be spent.

Ruth said: “If Jade was allocated a personal budget we could use it to pay for the one-to-one care she needs in a place of her own.

“I put the deposit down on a flat earlier this year when they told me that she was about to get a personal budget, but then they changed their mind.”

In January, the charity Redbridge Mencap offered Jade a place in a housing project but were told the council’s mental health team would be unable to provide any finance to support Jade in the accommodation.

Ruth said: “Mencap were brilliant and allowed Jade to move in anyway, but she couldn’t cope without support and moved back here within seven weeks which was a nightmare for us all.

“The answer of the mental health team seems to be to spend money on drugs for her and put her in places which just make her problems worse.”

Karen Fineberg chair of Redbridge Mencap said: “Jade has hurt herself so many times and her mental state is deteriorating. I really fear for her life.

“If she was given a personal budget she could take some control over the care she receives and have some choice over the direction of her life, which is what she needs.”

Redbridge council has been asked to comment.