Recent statements in this category are shown below:
-
Statement Upheld Alternative provision 07-Oct-2025
Summary: Ms D complained the Council has failed to provide her daughter J with suitable full-time education that met her special educational needs. We found delay in putting provision in place which caused J to miss out on some education. The Council has agreed to make a payment to Ms D to remedy the injustice that caused.
-
West Sussex County Council (24 011 946)
Statement Upheld Alternative provision 07-Oct-2025
Summary: We found the Council delayed issuing Y’s Education Health and Care Plan and failed to provide alternative education between March 2024 and September 2024. We recommended an apology and a payment to recognise the impact.
-
London Borough of Islington (24 020 656)
Statement Upheld Alternative provision 05-Oct-2025
Summary: Ms X complained the Council failed to provide her child, Z, the special educational provision set out in his Education, Health and Care Plan. We find the Council at fault for a delay in issuing the final amended Education, Health and Care Plan following an annual review. This caused Z and Ms X frustration. The Council has agreed to apologise to remedy the injustice caused.
-
Statement Upheld Alternative provision 02-Oct-2025
Summary: Ms F complained the Council failed to put in place alternative provision for her daughter and delayed issuing a final EHC Plan. As a result, her daughter’s education has suffered and the family was caused significant stress. We found there was a five-month delay in issuing the plan and fault in not providing alternative provision for three school terms. The Council has agreed to apologise and pay Ms F £6,000 to be used for her daughter’s educational benefit to remedy the injustice.
-
Devon County Council (24 013 421)
Statement Not upheld Alternative provision 02-Oct-2025
Summary: Ms X complained on behalf of Ms Y. Ms Y complained the Council failed to provide her son, Z, with suitable full-time education from February 2023 until November 2023. Ms Y also complained the Council failed to reimburse her for education she funded from March 2023 to July 2023. Ms Y said Z missed education and this impacted her financially. We have ended the investigation as the complaint is outside our jurisdiction.
-
West Northamptonshire Council (25 003 972)
Statement Not upheld Alternative provision 02-Oct-2025
Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to name a suitable educational placement in her child, Y’s, Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan. Mrs X also complained the Council failed to provide Y with the educational provision it agreed to. I ended this investigation because Mrs X has appealed to the SEND tribunal and the substantive complaints are not separable from the matters at appeal. The remaining matter has not been through the Council’s complaints process.
-
Devon County Council (25 000 250)
Statement Not upheld Alternative provision 01-Oct-2025
Summary: Mrs B complained that the Council failed to provide a suitable alternative education for her daughter C since she started attending her current school in January 2025. We have not found fault with actions of the Council.
-
East Riding of Yorkshire Council (24 017 988)
Statement Upheld Alternative provision 29-Sep-2025
Summary: Ms X complained the Council did not complete an Education, Health and Care needs assessment for her daughter within statutory timeframes. She also said it did not provide alternative provision to her daughter when she stopped attending school. We did not find the Council at fault for the time taken with the assessment. We found fault for some of its actions and not properly evidencing decisions made on its alternative provision duty, causing some uncertainty. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a symbolic payment to remedy the injustice caused.
-
Lancashire County Council (24 002 668)
Statement Upheld Alternative provision 29-Sep-2025
Summary: The Council was at fault. It did not complete Miss X’s child, Y’s annual review in 2023 and delayed completing Y’s next annual review. It failed to make a decision on amendments to Y’s Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan and subsequently delayed issuing it. The Council also failed to monitor Y’s alternative provision package. These faults caused Miss X frustration, distress and uncertainty and impacted on Y’s education. The Council will apologise to Miss X and make a symbolic payment to her. The Council has already put in place actions to improve its service.
-
Hampshire County Council (24 012 589)
Statement Upheld Alternative provision 29-Sep-2025
Summary: Mrs X complained the Council delayed putting alternative provision arrangements in place when her child Z stopped attending school and did not fully secure the provision in Z’s EHC Plan. Mrs X also complained the Council delayed deciding an application for transport assistance, and about the Council’s communication and complaints handling. We have found the Council at fault. We find Z’s missed education provision is likely to be offset by future provision, mitigating this injustice. However, there is a shortfall in therapy provision yet to be addressed. We also find Mrs X experienced avoidable distress and uncertainty because of the Council’s faults. The Council has agreed to provide a written apology and pay a symbolic financial remedy to recognise Mrs X’s avoidable distress. The Council has also agreed to decide Mrs X’s application for transport assistance and set out a proposal to offset Z’s lost therapy provision over upcoming academic years.