Case Ref: 23 008 311 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will issue written reminders to relevant staff to ensure they are aware children who receive alternative provision should have access to a broad and balanced curriculum where appropriate. The provision must also be of a standard a child would receive in school.

Case Ref: 23 006 845 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• Share this decision with relevant staff, along with the Ombudsman’s focus report ‘Parent Power: learning from complaints about personal budgets’ (November 2023).
• Remind staff to be alert to requests for personal budgets and direct payments so that the Council can properly consider these.

Case Ref: 23 006 222 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• Share this decision with relevant staff, along with the Ombudsman’s focus report ‘Parent Power: learning from complaints about personal budgets’ (November 2023).
• Remind staff to be alert to requests for personal budgets and direct payments so that the Council can properly consider these.

Case Ref: 23 006 015 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council will:a) remind and if appropriate provide training to staff members about1. the importance of including vulnerable people within the safeguarding process;2. assessing mental capacity in line with the safeguarding policy;3. providing an advocate in line with the safeguarding policy.
• b) review how safeguarding concerns were acted on in this complaint in particular the initial delay after the November 2022 concern;
• c) remind staff and the Care Provider about the importance of completing risk assessments when issues are raised.

Case Ref: 23 005 403 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council has agreed to review its assessment and funding procedures to ensure there are clear timescales for funding decisions to be made and communicated to service-users and their families.

Case Ref: 23 005 353 Category: Children's care services Sub Category: Child protection

• The Council will by training or other means, ensure the relevant officers are aware that all issues raised in a complaint are appropriately addressed and remind relevant officers of the importance of providing clear communication and responding in a timely manner.

Case Ref: 23 003 403 Category: Education Sub Category: School admissions

• The Council will remind all clerking staff of the importance of accurately recording how the panels have reached their decisions.

Case Ref: 23 003 106 Category: Education Sub Category: School admissions

• The Council will remind clerks of the need to record robust and clear reasons for the panel’s decision at both stages of the school admission appeals process.

Case Ref: 23 001 905 Category: Education Sub Category: School transport

• The Council will issue guidance to staff explaining that applicants should be advised of the options available for obtaining and submitting medical evidence in support of their PTB appeal

Case Ref: 22 018 130 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council agreed that it would try to arrange a meeting with health service commissioning bodies to discuss how it can improve current arrangements and publicity materials to support parents / carers who may want to request a personal budget to meet both education and health needs identified in an Education, Health and Care Plan. The Council agreed to also write to us to tell us the outcome of any meeting and actions agreed.