Kent County Council
Annual statistics ?Find out more about annual statistics
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Complaints upheld
81% Complaints upheld by Kent County Council
81% of complaints we investigated were upheld.
This compares to an average of 85% in similar authorities.
76 upheld decisions
View upheld decisionsAdjusted for Kent County Council's population, this is
4.8 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.The average for authorities of this type is
4.5 upheld decisions per 100,000 residents.Statistics are based on a total of 94 investigations for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
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Compliance with Ombudsman recommendations
98% of cases were successfully implemented by Kent County Council
98% of cases we were satisfied the Council had successfully implemented our recommendations.
This compares to an average of 100% in similar authorities.
Statistics are based on a total of 63 compliance outcomes for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
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Satisfactory remedies provided by the Council
3% Complaints with satisfactory remedy provided by Kent County Council
In 3% of upheld cases we found the Council had provided a satisfactory remedy before the complaint reached the Ombudsman.
This compares to an average of 7% in similar authorities.
2 satisfactory remedy decisions
Statistics are based on a total of 76 upheld decisions for the period between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
View all satisfactory remedy decisions
Annual letters
We write to councils each year to give a summary of the complaint statistics we record about them,
and their performance in responding to our investigations.
Reports ?Find out more about reports
In the last nine years, the Ombudsman has published the following reports against Kent County Council
Ombudsman investigation reveals 170 delayed complaints in Kent
A Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigation has uncovered a backlog of 170 unanswered children’s services and education complaints in Kent.
Kent couple lost valuable time together because of council errors
A Kent couple lost valuable time together after the council placed one partner in a care home against her wishes following a hospital stay, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found.
Councils urged to learn from Ombudsman investigation into child abuse complaint
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman is urging councils to place children at the centre of decision making in cross border child protection cases, after a suicidal teenager was left without appropriate support when she reported serious sexual abuse.
Councils urged to check their parking policies following Ombudsman investigation
Councils across England are being urged to ensure they are using the correct legislation to issue parking fines at country parks following a Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigation into Kent County Council.
Parents need to be supported to balance care and work needs, Ombudsman says
Parents of children with disabilities should be supported to balance their care and working needs, the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) has said.
Service improvements ?Find out more about service improvements
Since April 2018, the Council has agreed to make the following improvements to its services following an Ombudsman investigation. We list up to 10 cases below – click ‘view all’ if there are more.
Case reference: 24 006 616
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Charging
- The Council agreed to review its process for referring people for a financial assessment. It should ensure, whenever possible, that people have the necessary information about the contribution they will be expected to pay towards their care before they need to make decisions about the care they want.
- The Council agreed to provide a briefing to its financial assessment staff and practitioners about how the Council should consider allowances for costs to people of their disregarded properties. This should include the relevant rules, guidance and Council policy.
Case reference: 24 004 875
Category: Children's care services
Sub Category: Other
- The Council has agreed to provide evidence of the steps taken to:•ensure direct payments are not held up due to discussions over which service is involved with a service user; and •ensure the reasons for decisions about which service a child will be under are fully explained to parents in good time.
Case reference: 24 004 481
Category: Education
Sub Category: Alternative provision
- The Council has agreed to remind relevant staff of the guidance which states within four weeks of a review meeting, the Council must notify the child’s parent of its decision to maintain, amend or discontinue the EHC Plan.
- The Council has agreed to, by training or otherwise, remind staff of the importance of adhering to the Council’s complaints procedure; andprovide training or guidance to all relevant staff on the Council’s duties when a child is unable to attend school.
Case reference: 24 004 188
Category: Adult care services
Sub Category: Charging
- The Council will remind relevant officers and managers of the need to act promptly in fulfilling a remedy it has already agreed with a complainant. This will help to ensure that matters are quickly brought to a close and lessen the likelihood of further distress and inconvenience to the complainant.
Case reference: 24 004 142
Category: Education
Sub Category: Special educational needs
- The Council agreed to produce and circulate a briefing to its special educational needs and education staff, and relevant elected members, of the Council’s duties to arrange alternative education under section 19 of the Education Act 1996. This should include, but not be limited to, the Council’s legal responsibilities, its expectations for staff when concerns are raised that a child or young person is not accessing the education otherwise available to them and Ombudsman’s 'Out of school, out of sight' focus report.
Case reference: 24 003 150
Category: Children's care services
Sub Category: Child protection
- Remind relevant staff via training, or a briefing paper, of the statutory guidance Getting the best from Complaints as well as drawing their attention to the Ombudsman's practitioner's guidance.
Case reference: 24 001 526
Category: Education
Sub Category: Special educational needs
- The Council agree to remind staff in its special educational needs team about the importance of:complying with the statutory timescales following a review of an EHC plan;promptly taking action to secure the provision in EHC plans when it knows this is no longer being provided; andproperly considering and recording their decisions about whether the Council needs to make alternative education provision for children who are not attending school.
Case reference: 24 001 423
Category: Education
Sub Category: Special educational needs
- The Council should produce and circulate a briefing note to relevant staff to remind them that it is not possible to make changes to the provision of a child who has an Education Health and Care Plan without issuing a revised plan and an amendment notice to enable the child or young person’s parents to comment. This is in line with the process for amending a plan set out in the SEN Code paragraphs 9.193 to 9.198.
Case reference: 24 001 417
Category: Education
Sub Category: Alternative provision
- The Council agreed remind staff of the existence of the Council’s policy on managing unacceptable behaviour from members of the public and the importance of following that policy when imposing contact restrictions.
Case reference: 23 021 398
Category: Education
Sub Category: Special educational needs
- The Council agreed to share a copy of our final decision with staff in its Children’s Complaints Team. It will remind them that where a complainant has appealed about an Education, Health, and Care Plan to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability), this does not prevent the Council from considering how it should remedy injustice caused by delays before the appealable decision.
Last updated: 4 April 2015