Surrey County Council (22 013 345)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 02-Apr-2023

Summary: Mr X complained the Council delayed amending and finalising his child, Y’s Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan in March 2022 and again in November 2022 after an interim review. The Council was at fault for failing to finalise Y’s EHC plans in line with statutory timescales. The Council agreed to apologise and pay Mr X £600 to recognise the frustration and uncertainty caused.

Surrey County Council (22 009 996)

Statement Upheld School transport 03-Apr-2023

Summary: Mrs X complained, on behalf of her granddaughter, Child A, the Council refused to provide home-to-school transport because there was a nearer suitable school. The Council was at fault for not applying the correct legal test known as the Dudley test. This left uncertainty about the decision reached. The Council has agreed to reconsider the transport application in line with the Dudley test and provide a fresh decision and right of appeal. The Council will also review its home-to-school travel policy and retrain staff to prevent reoccurrence of the fault.

Surrey County Council (22 003 115)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 17-Apr-2023

Summary: Mr T complains on behalf of his son (Mr K) who has special educational needs (SEN). There was a two-year period where Mr K could not attend school because of his complex educational needs. Mr T complains the Council failed to provide Mr K with suitable alternative education in accordance with its legal duty under the Education Act 1996. We found the Council failed to provide Mr K with suitable alternative education provision. Overall, the Council provided Mr K with around a quarter of the education he was legally entitled to receive. This had a serious impact on Mr K’s educational development and wellbeing. The Council has accepted our recommendations to remedy the fault and injustice identified.

Surrey County Council (22 011 444)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 17-Apr-2023

Summary: Mrs Z complained the Council delayed completing Education Health and Care Plans (“EHCPs”) for her children and failed to ensure they had suitable education and EHCP provision, causing distress. We found the Council at fault. We recommended it provides an apology, pays £100 for time and trouble, pays £1000 for distress, pays £3300 for missed provision and acts to prevent recurrence.

Surrey County Council (22 012 228)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 17-Apr-2023

Summary: Ms X complained the Council delayed issuing her child’s Education, Health and Care Plan. The Council was at fault for a two month delay in issuing the plan. It has also failed to provide the provision set out in the plan so Ms X’s child has missed out on provision. It has agreed to apologise to Ms X and make a payment in recognition of the injustice caused.

Surrey County Council (22 010 270)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 20-Apr-2023

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about delay in the Council finalising Mrs X’s daughter’s final Education, Health, and Care plan following an annual review. This is because the Council has agreed to resolve the complaint early by providing a proportionate remedy for the injustice caused by the likely faults.

Surrey County Council (22 011 732)

Statement Upheld Other 01-May-2023

Summary: Miss X complained the Council failed to offer help and support, including respite to her and her child P, when she requested it. She said the Council also blamed her as a parent and recorded false information about her in the social care records. The Council delayed in considering Miss X’s complaint. It has already offered Miss X an appropriate remedy for the injustice this caused.

Surrey County Council (22 012 340)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 01-May-2023

Summary: Miss X complained the Council delayed in identifying her son M’s special educational needs, in issuing a final education, health and care plan and in identifying an appropriate school for him. Miss X also complained the Council did not properly consider her complaints about the matters. The Council failed to provide the special educational provision M needed for eight months. The Council agreed to apologise to M and Miss X and pay M £1,500 to recognise the injustice caused to him.

Surrey County Council (22 012 950)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 01-May-2023

Summary: Mr X complained the Council failed to ensure his son received suitable education for one year, resulting in missed education and distress. We found the Council at fault. We recommended it provides Mr X with an apology; pays £200 for time and trouble; £300 for distress; £2200 for missed education and; acts to prevent recurrence.

Surrey County Council (22 013 820)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 17-May-2023

Summary: There was fault in the Council not securing the special education provision as outlined in an Education Health and Care plan for Miss X’s son. The fault meant Miss X’s son was without this provision, and it will have caused Miss X distress, because of the uncertainty of future education provision. The Council has agreed to pay Miss X a financial remedy to properly recognise the injustice of missed education provision.