Birmingham City Council (20 002 072)

Statement Upheld Alternative provision 16-Feb-2021

Summary: Ms X complained the Council did not provide any alternative educational provision for her son while he was out of school between April 2019 and November 2020. Ms X also complained the Council delayed in identifying an appropriate school for her son and failed to comply with the statutory timeframes for completing his EHC Plan. The Council’s failure to provide Y with alternative educational provision between April 2019 and November 2020 amounts to fault. As does the delay in issuing a final EHC plan. These faults have caused Ms X and Y an injustice.

London Borough of Hackney (18 007 219)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 16-Feb-2021

Summary: Miss X complained about failings by the Council in the transition from a Statement of Special Educational Needs to an Education Health and Care plan, and its failure to ensure speech and language support was delivered in 2017. The Council failed to send the final plan to all relevant parties in August 2016, which delayed Miss X getting appeal rights. It also failed to provide speech and language support set out in her Statement from May to July 2017. It will apologise and make a payment for the uncertainty caused by the lack of provision.

Cheshire East Council (20 002 507)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 16-Feb-2021

Summary: the Council delayed completing the assessment of X’s special educational needs and issuing a final Education, Health and Care Plan. This caused her injustice as it delayed her receiving the additional support she needed by four months. The Council will apologise and make a payment to recognise the injustice caused. It has already altered its processes to ensure that the faults identified do not happen in future.

Suffolk County Council (20 000 639)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 15-Feb-2021

Summary: Mrs X complains about the Council’s actions leading up to the provision of an Education, Health and Care plan for her child. She says the Council incurred delays and provided misleading information about the process. Mrs X also complains about the Council’s handling of her complaint. She says the Council’s actions caused unnecessary stress and uncertainty to her child and the wider family. We find fault by the Council in this matter and the Council has agreed a remedy to address the injustice caused.

London Borough Of Barnet (19 011 750)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 15-Feb-2021

Summary: Miss W complains the Council failed to make appropriate full-time education provision for her son, V. It also placed him in unsuitable education, failed to keep his Education, Health and Care Plan properly updated, failed to respond to her complaints and referred the matter to child protection even though she says the main issue was him being out of school. She says this caused her, and her family, distress and time and trouble and V was deprived of services he should have received. There is evidence of fault and the Council has agreed to apologise, make appropriate payments and to change its procedures around complaint handling.

Cheshire East Council (20 001 064)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 15-Feb-2021

Summary: the Council was at fault in its handling of Mr A’s request for an early review of X’s Education, Health and Care Plan, in delaying taking action following the reviews in July and September 2019 and in further delaying before starting to consult alternative school provision for X after the SEN panel agreed to this in October 2019. The Council will apologise and make a payment to Mr A to recognise the injustice these faults caused.

Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council (20 005 676)

Statement Upheld School transport 15-Feb-2021

Summary: Mrs X complains the Council has wrongly refused to provide free school transport for her son and wrongly rejected her appeal against its decision. The Council is at fault as it has not properly considered the impact of her son’s special educational needs on his ability to walk safely to school. This is fault by the Council which has caused injustice. The Council has agreed to reconsider the case.

London Borough of Redbridge (19 000 964)

Report Upheld Special educational needs 12-Feb-2021

Summary: Mrs C complained on behalf of her son Z, that the Council failed to ensure Z received suitable full-time education and Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision after it concluded he was unable to attend school for health reasons. Mrs C says that upon Z’s return to school, the Council continued to fail to provide the SEN provision.

Leicestershire County Council (19 017 864)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 12-Feb-2021

Summary: There is evidence of fault in how the Council dealt with matters relating to Ms C’ son’s Special Educational Needs (SEN). The Council has agreed to implement actions in order to remedy the injustice these faults caused.

Sheffield City Council (20 002 945)

Statement Upheld Covid-19 12-Feb-2021

Summary: Mr B complained the Council did not carry out his son’s school admissions appeal correctly. Mr B complained the Council did not give his son a place at the same school as his sibling and this caused the family distress and inconvenience. The Council delayed sending notice of the hearing but there was no fault with the hearing itself. The Council’s fault did not cause Mr B significant injustice.