Case Ref: 21 017 510 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council has agreed to undertake a detailed review of its policy and procedure for responding to situations where a child is out of school and not receiving education,identifies the reasons why the Council repeatedly says the responsibility for education in these circumstances is down to the school and suggests improvements which can be made to improve staff understanding and implementation of this key duty.

Case Ref: 21 013 375 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will provide the Ombudsman with the procedural changes it said it has made internally, and with schools, to ensure it meets the statutory timescales for reviewing EHC plans and issuing amended EHC plans to parents.
• The Council will review how it keeps parents informed about any delays in the EHC plan process, and how it learns from these to prevent such delays in future.
• The Council will review its three-month trial with Mr D in which he were to provide his designated Council Officer with details about issues and needs for his children, and agree with Mr D whether to continue to trial.

Case Ref: 21 011 094 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• The Council will remind staff of the importance of ensuring that an adult's care needs continue to be met when their care plan is under review, particularly if there is a period of dispute regarding the number of care hours it proposes.
• The Council will remind staff of its duty to clearly set out in its reviews and assessments how a person’s eligible needs under the Care Act will be met, particularly where it proposes to reduce someone’s care hours.
• The Council will remind staff that its policy for reviewing care plans allows for the provision of cleaners to help people meet their eligible needs under the Care Act.
• The Council will remind staff of the importance of considering the individual financial circumstances of an adult needing care when recommending the use of a hot meals service in the place of care hours.

Case Ref: 21 009 688 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council has already completed work to amend and simplify the procedure for children with Education, Health and Care plans who move to its area.The Council has agreed to provide evidence to the Ombudsman that the simplified procedure has been communicated to all relevant council officers to ensure they are aware of the Council's responsibilities and the statutory timescales that apply when children with Education, Health and Care plans move into its area.

Case Ref: 21 009 229 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will issue written reminders to relevant staff to ensure they adhere to the timescales set out in the complaints procedure.
• The Council will issue written reminders to relevant staff to ensure they adhere to the timescales set out in legislation after the annual review of an EHC plan.

Case Ref: 21 008 621 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• • Remind officers of the council’s duties under S19 of the Education Act 1996 to provide alternative provision for children who cannot attend school due to illness, exclusion or other reasons.
• • Remind officers of the timescales and duties to notify parents of decisions to reassess and decisions following reviews- maintain, amend or cease.
• • Remind relevant staff of the importance of attempting to resolve complaints at the earliest opportunity. This case should be used an example.

Case Ref: 21 004 350 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• At a senior level, the Council will undertake a detailed review of this case. The review exercise will focus on why Child Y was not provided with suitable alternative education when it became clear a school place could not easily be found. It should also look at why any potential barriers to doing so were not addressed at an early stage. Moreover, the Council will review why a referral was not made to the relevant departments. The purpose of the review is to adopt measures to inform service improvements for each area of fault identified in this statement. The Council will provide evidence of the review and adopted measures to the Ombudsman.
• Review how the Council ensures remedies agreed in response to complaints are carried out.

Case Ref: 20 007 857 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Assessment and care plan

• remind staff about the importance of completing reviews and support plans in line with CSSG.

Case Ref: 21 012 499 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will identify the reasons for its delay in completing an annual review of a child's Education Health and Care Plan, take action to prevent recurrence and update the Ombudsman on the actions taken.

Case Ref: 21 010 429 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will remind relevant staff of its duty to deliver special educational provisions which are included in Section F of children's and young people's Education and Health Care Plans.
• The Council will review its processes with Health and Special Educational Needs Inclusion Fund to ensure the funding arrangements do not impact on the Education and Health Care Plans timescales and delivery of special educational provisions.