Central Bedfordshire Council (19 012 349)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 22-Feb-2021

Summary: Mrs A complains the Council failed to provide her son with education for more than three months when she withdrew him from his previous school. There was fault by the Council because it did not properly consider its approach to the withdrawal of Mrs A’s son from school. The Council agreed a financial remedy for Mrs A and her son.

Royal Borough of Greenwich (20 004 825)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 22-Feb-2021

Summary: There was fault by the Council because it failed to tell Mr X of his right to request a review of the decision not to give his son Y a personal budget/direct payment and took too long to complete the review. The Council should also have arranged speech and language therapy for Y in the Autumn term of 2020 and was at fault by not doing so. It has since agreed to reimburse Mr X for the therapy he has paid for, which is a partial remedy when completed. The Council will apologise, make the refund and also make Mr X a symbolic payment to reflect his time and trouble and inconvenience and distress.

Derbyshire County Council (20 000 611)

Report Upheld Special educational needs 22-Feb-2021

Summary: Ms X complained the Council delayed carrying out her son’s annual review, issuing his final amended Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan and consulting with secondary schools.

Derbyshire County Council (20 010 886)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 19-Feb-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council completing actions agreed with the Ombudsman. This is because it is unlikely we would find evidence of fault by the Council causing injustice.

Essex County Council (20 002 063)

Statement Not upheld School transport 18-Feb-2021

Summary: Miss X complained about the Council’s decision on her application and appeal for home to school transport for her son. We do not find fault with the way the Council made its decision, but the Council has accepted our suggestion for some further signposting about the right of appeal.

City of Wolverhampton Council (20 007 392)

Statement Upheld School admissions 18-Feb-2021

Summary: Mrs B complains that the independent school admissions appeal panel did not properly consider her appeal for a place for her son, C, at the school his brother attends. The Council has now offered a Mrs B a fresh appeal with a new panel. The Ombudsman proposes to discontinue our investigation because we do not consider that investigating further would lead to a better outcome.

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council (20 008 139)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 18-Feb-2021

Summary: Miss X complained about the Council’s decisions and actions between November 2018 and June 2020 when it refused and then delayed issuing her son, F with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan. The Council did not issue F’s final EHC Plan in line with statutory timescales. However, this did not cause F a significant injustice. The Council was not at fault when F did not receive provision in line with his plan during September 2020. We did not have jurisdiction to investigate the Council’s actions and decision around whether to assess F or to issue him with an EHC Plan between November 2018 and January 2020. This is because Miss X appealed to a tribunal about the matters.

Suffolk County Council (20 010 718)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Special educational needs 18-Feb-2021

Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s refusal to arrange medical services as it is not responsible for the issue being raised.

Leicestershire County Council (19 017 034)

Report Upheld Alternative provision 16-Feb-2021

Summary: Miss Y complained the Council failed in its duty to provide suitable full-time education to her daughter, W, when they moved to a new house.

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council (19 019 839)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 16-Feb-2021

Summary: the complainant says the Council delayed its assessment of her son’s special educational needs and suitable provision causing disruption and distress to the family. The Council recognised the faults and impact they had and offered a remedy. We upheld the complaint and recommended a greater remedy of £2,700.