Case Ref: 24 008 305 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council has agreed to remind homelessness staff that once they become aware that a person may be homeless, eligible and in priority need, it is under a duty to provide them with interim accommodation from that point and the Ombudsman would be critical of any delay.
• The Council has agreed to outline what action it has taken to improve its timeliness in carrying out statutory reviews of homelessness decisions.
• The Council has agreed to remind homelessness staff of the importance of sending out duty letters and personalised housing plans so that applicants have a record of the steps the Council is taking, and they can take, to relieve their homelessness.

Case Ref: 24 006 852 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council has agreed to ensure frontline staff are aware that a homeless application can be made to anydepartment and refer people who indicate they may be homeless or threatenedwith homelessness to the relevant department for advice and assistance. It will provideguidance or training as necessary
• The Council will, using this case as an example, provide training or guidance to frontline staffon their role in safeguarding and the process for making a safeguardingreferral.

Case Ref: 24 006 441 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Domiciliary care

• The Council has agreed to provide evidence that:a) it has a plan in place to make sure people receiving care and support have their needs reviewed at least every 12 months and it is monitoring compliance;b) it has processes in place to ensure care providers are meeting all the care needs the Council has identified;c) MiHomecare is doing regular spot checks to ensure its care workers are cleaning to the right standard.

Case Ref: 24 005 288 Category: Education Sub Category: Alternative provision

• Review its communication strategy to ensure parents are regularly updated on the status of their child’s case, particularly when alternative educational provision is being considered. The Council should provide the Ombudsman with the outcome of its review and any proposed service changes.

Case Ref: 24 004 400 Category: Adult care services Sub Category: Residential care

• The Council will issue a written reminder to staff in its complaints team to apply the wording of its complaints policy on late complaints.

Case Ref: 24 003 536 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council will review the information it gives staff in its housing service and medical advisors about how to complete medical assessments to ensure it meets the expectations set out in the Ombudsman's focus report 'Medical assessments for housing applications'.

Case Ref: 23 020 724 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council will provide evidence the Housing Officer involved has completed refreshed training on how to recognise domestic abuse, and to provide necessary support irrespective of the frequency of domestic abuse incidents.
• The Council will remind all housing officers to complete personalised housing plans properly and thoroughly. In particular, not to leave the section called “What actions/reasonable steps the Housing Options Officer will do next” blank. This is because it is vital that applicants know what the Council has agreed to do to help secure or keep accommodation.

Case Ref: 23 020 048 Category: Housing Sub Category: Allocations

• The Council agreed that it would issue a reminder to all relevant staff on the importance of proof-reading letters sent to homeless applicants to stress the importance of including reasons for decisions and to try and avoid basic factual errors.
• The Council also agreed that it would put a procedure or protocol in place to follow up with its medical adviser when waiting for their advice. It would also remind relevant staff of the need to follow such procedure or protocol. This would be to avoid applicants experiencing delay in finding out the outcome of a request for medical priority points under its housing allocation policy.

Case Ref: 23 019 982 Category: Education Sub Category: Special educational needs

• The Council will remind staff in its Special Educational Needs and Disability Service to ensure: 1. the statutory timescales for the Education, Health, and Care plan process following annual reviews are always adhered to. Including in circumstances where it receives late request for further educational needs provision from parents; and 2. requests from parents are responded to and views from schools or other professionals are sought without delay. This is to ensure good communication with those involved and to avoid unnecessary delays in the process.

Case Ref: 23 018 981 Category: Housing Sub Category: Homelessness

• The Council has agreed to remind homelessness staff that the advice they offer applicants fleeing domestic abuse must set out all their housing options so they can make an informed choice. This should include all options they may have to join the housing register, in particular under the reasonable preference categories set out in section 166 of the Housing Act.