Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council (24 000 621)

Report Upheld Special educational needs 19-Feb-2025

Summary: Mrs A complained the Council failed to complete reviews of her children’s Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans within the statutory timescales. Mrs A says this has resulted in her children not receiving up-to-date provision to meet their educational and social care needs. Mrs A also complained the Council failed to complete EHC Plan reviews in the statutory timescales for over a thousand other children.

Kent County Council (23 015 248)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 18-Feb-2025

Summary: Mrs B complained that the Council in respect of her son C’s special educational needs, had failed to reassess C’s needs, to issue amended Education, Health and Care Plans following two annual reviews, to provide alternative education while he was out of school, to progress a personal budget request or respond to her complaints about the matter in a timely or accurate way. We found the Council was at fault in all these areas. C has missed out on education for a significant period of time and Mrs B had been caused distress, frustration and financial hardship. The Council has agreed to make payments to Mrs B and C and to provide an update on improvements to its SEND service.

Suffolk County Council (23 016 055)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 18-Feb-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council failed to ensure Ms X’s child’s Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision was met. This is because the Council has offered an appropriate remedy, so investigation would not lead to a different outcome. We cannot investigate actions by the school unrelated to the delivery of SEN provision.

West Sussex County Council (23 020 019)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 18-Feb-2025

Summary: Mrs X complained the Council failed to provide her child, Y, with a suitable alternative education when they could not attend school, delayed issuing Y’s Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan in line with statutory timescales and its communication with her was poor. The Council was at fault when it delayed issuing Y’s EHC Plan which caused Mrs X frustration and Y to miss educational provision, the Council will make a payment of £2,025 and a symbolic payment to Mrs X. The Council was also at fault for uncertainty caused by its failure to keep Y’s alternative provision under review. The Council will pay Mrs X a symbolic payment for the uncertainty this caused and for poor communication. It has already agreed to act to improve its services.

Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea (24 002 845)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 18-Feb-2025

Summary: Miss X complained that the Council failed to provide alternative education when her son was unable to attend school, that it delayed in completing the annual review process of her son’s Education, Health and Care Plan and the communication with her was poor. This meant that her son missed out on education, and she was caused avoidable distress and unnecessary legal costs. The Council had already found some fault, but the complainant was dissatisfied with the remedy offered for the injustice caused. The Council has agreed to make an increased symbolic payment for the lost education.

Lancashire County Council (24 015 129)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 18-Feb-2025

Summary: We upheld Ms X’s complaint about delays in the Education, Health and Care process regarding her child, Y. The Council agreed to resolve the complaint early by providing a proportionate remedy for the injustice caused.

London Borough of Wandsworth (24 015 608)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 18-Feb-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about Y missing one Speech and Language Therapist’s session as there is insufficient injustice to warrant an investigation. We cannot investigate whether the current Education Health and Care Plan meets Y’s needs as Miss X has appealed to the Tribunal.

Gloucestershire County Council (24 015 658)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 18-Feb-2025

Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint the Council failed to complete an Education, Health and Care needs assessment for her child within the legal timescales. This is because the Council has already offered a suitable remedy for any injustice caused by the delay and further investigation by us is unlikely to achieve anything more.

London Borough of Hounslow (24 015 843)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 18-Feb-2025

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about delay in issuing an Education, Health and Care Plan. The injustice caused by the delay was not significant enough to warrant an investigation.

North Northamptonshire Council (24 016 082)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 18-Feb-2025

Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision not to name specialist educational provision in an Education Health and Care plan. This is because the complainant has used her right to appeal, and this places the matter outside the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction.