Children affected by the Grenfell Tower fire “slipped through the cracks” in the aftermath of the tragedy, Britain’s equality body warns this week in a damning report that criticises local and national government.

In a hard-hitting assessment of how the state responded to the disaster, the Equality and Human Rights Commission highlights a lack of co-ordination among services, both in the immediate aftermath and a year on. It finds that authorities failed to put children’s best interests at the heart of their efforts, in breach of international obligations.

“Supporting families who lost friends and loved ones that night should have been a primary concern, but especially the children involved,” said David Isaac, the commission’s chair. “While authorities sought to respond to the disaster, children received disjointed mental health and educational support. Their needs and rights have slipped through the cracks.”

Based on interviews with families, the Following Grenfell report finds many children who lost a friend or family member or their home in the fire, which claimed 72 lives, struggled to access help.

“There are so many children going to the same school and still affected,” one respondent said. “They just don’t know where to turn, because there aren’t the services available.”

The commission questions the type of counselling made available to children following the fire, which is estimated to have left two-thirds of adults who survived or were affected with signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Group, rather than private, sessions were offered in schools. The schools’ management of children with behavioural issues resulting from their trauma is also identified as a key concern.

“He had an anger issue in school after that [the fire] happened,” one respondent said. “Straight like, maybe a week or so, he developed like an anger thing and the school were so quick to pick on it. And I was like, ‘Excuse me, my son has just lost his uncle. Do you not understand what that means? Where is the counsellor you were supposed to provide him? Where is the psychotherapist that was meant to speak to him?’”

The authorities must ensure that these failures are addressed, and that the same mistakes are never repeated David Isaac, EHRC chair

Children who showed up at schools to take exams after the fire were met with confusion, the report finds. Some were turned away because of their trauma or the state of their clothing, without a clear understanding of when they would be able to re-sit. Others in a similar state were allowed to continue.

The report makes a number of recommendations aimed at local and national government and the fire service. Key areas include the use of cladding in residential blocks and the training of firefighters.

Some of those affected told the commission they had found it hard to feel heard or acknowledged. Some said the processes were so confusing they gave up engaging altogether. Many raised concerns about practices they felt were discriminatory, with some claiming that they had experienced racism when dealing with immigration officials.

The interviews were conducted last May and June by the Race on the Agenda thinktank. Chief executive Andy Gregg said: “Numerous issues were also raised about the adequacy of training for public sector and other service providers in carrying out their duties under the Equalities Act.”

Isaac said: “Some of those who witnessed the fire and lost family or friends have told us their stories and voiced their trauma. Now the Grenfell inquiry and local authorities must ensure that these failures are addressed, and that the same mistakes are never repeated.”