Liverpool City Council (19 004 395)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 26-Feb-2020

Summary: Ms X complains the Council has failed to identify or offer appropriate education for her son. The Council’s failure to provide Y with alternative educational provision for an academic year amounts to fault. The delays in the annual review process and the failure to issue a final ECHP also amount to fault. These faults have caused Ms X and Y an injustice.

Nottinghamshire County Council (19 004 624)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 26-Feb-2020

Summary: There were some administrative errors by the Council in the way it updated an Education, Health and Care Plan and sought to identify a new school. Service improvements to prevent recurrence of these errors have been made.

Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council (19 007 883)

Statement Upheld School admissions 26-Feb-2020

Summary: the complainant says the Council failed to properly consider her application for a school place and properly conduct the appeal against its decision. The Council says it correctly applied the admissions policy and the appeal panel properly considered the appeal. The Ombudsman finds the appeal panel acted with fault. The Ombudsman recommends and the Council agrees to arranging a fresh appeal hearing.

South Gloucestershire Council (19 015 248)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 25-Feb-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint that the Council is at fault in refusing his application and appeal for free school transport for his children. It is unlikely we would find fault on the Council’s part.

Surrey County Council (18 013 795)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 25-Feb-2020

Summary: Ms X and Ms Y complained about delay by the Council in finding a school place for their son after agreeing his mainstream school was no longer suitable, and in issuing a final Education Health and Care Plan. There was delay caused by faulty consultation with schools and delay in carrying out a re-assessment of needs. The Council has agreed a suitable a remedy to recognise the loss of education, frustration, anxiety and distress this caused.

West Sussex County Council (19 004 376)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 25-Feb-2020

Summary: The Council was at fault in the way it dealt with Mrs X’s son’s Education Health and Care Plan. It was responsible for some of the delay in issuing the final Plan and it failed to seek a professional report as part of the assessment. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a payment to recognise the frustration, anxiety and time and trouble caused.

London Borough of Hounslow (19 004 707)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 24-Feb-2020

Summary: Mr X complained the Council did not take appropriate action following his report of safeguarding concerns at his child, Y’s, school. He removed Y from the school but says the Council delayed in arranging an alternative placement and setting up an agreed interim direct payment arrangement for home tuition. This meant Y missed out on education and caused him financial loss and distress. The Council is at fault. It did not follow correct procedures which led to Y missing out on a half term’s education and delays. The Council has agreed to pay Mr X £1000 to use for Y’s educational benefit, £300 for the frustration and distress caused and review its procedures.

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council (19 007 547)

Statement Upheld Special educational needs 24-Feb-2020

Summary: There was fault by the Council, in failing to secure the provision of Speech and Language Therapy as part of an Education, Health and Care plan. However, the Council has now recognised this fault, and taken adequate steps to remedy the injustice which followed. For this reason, the Ombudsman has completed his investigation.

Northamptonshire County Council (19 015 095)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries School transport 22-Feb-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about how the Council has considered his application and appeal for transport to school for his daughter. This is because there is not enough evidence of fault by the Council and so we cannot question the merits of its decisions.

Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council (19 016 414)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Other 22-Feb-2020

Summary: The law says the Ombudsman cannot investigate Mr and Mrs B’s complaint about the Council’s response to their complaint about the actions of a school.